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 Or, Half Round the World. 
 
 Make or Break; 
 
 Or, The Rich Man's Daughter. 
 
 Down the River; 
 
 Or, Buck Bradford and his Tyrants. 
 
 These books are exciting narratives, and full of 
 stirring adventures, but the youthful heroes of the 
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 OLIVER OPTIC'S 
 
 BOAT CLUB SERIES. 
 
 Six VOLS., ILLUST. PER VOL., $1.25. 
 
 The Boat Clnb ; 
 
 Or, The Bunkers of Rippleton. 
 
 All Aboard; 
 
 Or, Life on the Lake. 
 
 Now or Never ; 
 
 Or, the Adventures of Bobby Bright. 
 
 Try Again ; 
 
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 Or, The Fortunes of Katy Redburn. 
 
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 OLIVER OPTIC'S 
 
 WOODVILLE STORIES. 
 
 Six VOLS., ILLUST. Pen VOL., $1.25. 
 
 Rich and Humble; 
 
 Or, The Mission of Bertha Grant 
 
 In School and Out; 
 
 Or, the Conquest of Richard Grant. 
 
 Watch and Wait; 
 
 Or, The Young Fugitive*. 
 
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 Or, Noddy Newman on a Cruise. 
 
 Hope and Have; 
 
 Or, Fanny Grant among the Indiana. 
 
 Haste and Waste; 
 
 Or, The Young Pilot of Lake Cham- 
 plain. 
 
 Oliver Optic is the apostolic successor, at the 
 "Hub." ol' Peter Parley. He ha jiirt completed 
 the "Woodviile Stories," by the publication i.t 
 "Haste and Waste." The best notice to : 
 them is to mention that a couple of youi 
 pulled them out of the pile two hours situ- 
 are jret devouring them out in the summer-house 
 (albeit autumn leaves cover it) oblivious to muffin 
 time. .y. Y. Lfudtr. 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston.
 
 
 I 

 
 KH HARP ON DRILL. I'age 142.
 
 IN SCHOOL AND OUT; 
 
 totj for goung fjcojlt. 
 
 BY 
 
 OLIVER OPTIC, 
 
 AUTHOR OF "THB BOAT CLUB," "ALL ABOARD," "NOW OB 1CEVSR," 
 
 " TI AOAJN," " POOR AND PROUD," " LITTLE BT UTTLB," 
 
 " RICH AMD HUMBLE," " THE K1VERDALB 
 
 STORY BOOKS," ETC. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 LEE, SHEPARD AND DILLINGHAM. 
 
 1873.
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 1863, by 
 
 WILLIAM T. ADAMS, 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
 STEREOTYPED AT THE 
 
 BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDET, 
 
 19 Spring Lane.
 
 10 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 
 
 BY HIS UNCLE. 
 
 623758
 
 THE WOODVILLE STORIES, 
 
 IN SIX VOLUMES. 
 A LIBRARY FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 
 
 BY OLIVER OPTIC. 
 
 i. man A.isrr> 
 
 a. i3sr SCHOOL A.3srr> OXJT. 
 
 G. W^^.TOH A.ITID 
 
 4. \WOE.B: A-jsrx 
 
 6. HOFE -A.1STI3 
 6.
 
 THE second volume of the Woodville Stories contains 
 the experience of Richard Grant, " in school and out" 
 We are sorry to say that Richard had become a bad 
 boy, and was in the habit of getting into the most 
 abominable scrapes, some of which are detailed in the 
 first chapters of this book. But he is not what is some 
 times called a vicious boy, for he has many good quali 
 ties, which redeem him from absolute condemnation. 
 There is something noble in his character, which is the 
 germ of his ultimate salvation from the sins which so 
 easily beset him. 
 
 Richard, like thousands of others, finds his strongest 
 and most dangerous foe within his own heart; and the 
 conquest he achieves is not a triumph of mind over 
 matter, of force over force, but of principle over pas 
 sion, of the good angels in the heart over the invading 
 legion of evil ones. 
 
 1* (6>
 
 6 PBEFACE. 
 
 Richard's experience is full of stirring incidents; and 
 while the author hopes therein to realize the expecta 
 tions of his partial young friends, he begs them to 
 remember that these exciting events are only the can 
 vas upon which he has endeavored to paint the great 
 change wrought in the character of the hero. There is 
 a moral in the story, and though the author has not 
 attempted to " point " it, he hopes his young readers 
 will feel it, even if they do not see it. 
 
 Again it affords me pleasure to acknowledge my 
 indebtedness to my young friends for the kind reception 
 given to my books. I trust that this, the twentieth vol 
 ume of my " Stories for Young People," will not disap 
 point their hopes, or fail to improve their minds and 
 hearts. 
 
 WILLIAM T. ADAMS. 
 
 DOECHESTEE, Oct. 26, 1803.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAG* 
 
 CHAP. L Richard Grant and Friend get Into an awful 
 Scrape. ...11 
 
 CHAP. II. Richard jumps out of the Frying-pan into the 
 Fire. 23 
 
 CHAP. III. Richard finds that no Chastening seemeth 
 joyous 3d 
 
 CHAP. IV. Richard makes a tremendous Sensation at 
 Woodville 47 
 
 CHAP. V. Richard is determined to be revenged. . . 59 
 
 CHAP. VI. Richard gives another Illustration of Sleep 
 walking 71 
 
 CHAP. VII. Richard kindles a Fire 83 
 
 CHAP. VIII. Richard beholds how great a Matter a little 
 Firekindleth 96 
 
 CHAP. IX. Richard goes to the Tunbook Military Institute. 110 
 
 CHAP. X. Richard learns the meaning of Right About 
 Face 123 
 
 CHAP. XI. Richard goes through the Drill, and has a set- 
 to in the Grove 136 
 
 CHAP. XII. Richard does a "Big Thing 1 and takes the 
 
 Consequences 151 
 
 (7)
 
 8 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XHI. Richard listens to a Homily on Fighting, and 
 spends the Night in the Guard House. . . . .166 
 
 CHAP. XIV. Richard does Guard Duty, and is captured 
 by an Enemy. 180 
 
 CHAP. XV. Richard finds himself in the Hands of the 
 Regulators 194 
 
 CHAP. XVI. Richard becomes First Sergeant of Com 
 pany D 208 
 
 CHAP. XVII. Richard gives the Tunbrookers a Lesson in 
 Boating 220 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. Richard wins another Race, and Tunbrook 
 is mutinous 235 
 
 CHAP. XIX. Richard is determined, and some Allusion is 
 made to " "Watermelons." ..... . 247 
 
 CHAP. XX. Richard Visits Green Island, and the Regu 
 lators consider their Plans 260 
 
 CHAP. XXI. Richard annihilates the Regulators, and the 
 Story is concluded 273
 
 IN SCHOOL AND OUT.
 
 IN SCHOOL AND OUT; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 
 
 /- CHAPTER I. 
 
 RICHARD GRANT AND FRIEND GET INTO AN 
 AWFUL SCRAPE. 
 
 " Now, steady as she is," said Sandy Brimble- 
 com, who lay upon the half-deck of the Greyhound, 
 endeavoring to peer through the darkness of a cloudy 
 night, which had settled deep and dense upon the 
 Hudson, and obscured every object on the shore. 
 " Steady as she is, Dick, and we shall go in all 
 right." 
 
 " Ay, ay ; steady it is," replied Richard Grant, 
 who was at the helm. 
 
 (11)
 
 12 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 " Port a little ! Port a little ! " added Sandy, a 
 few moments after, as he discovered the entrance 
 of a little inlet, which was the destination of the 
 Greyhound. 
 
 " Shut up your liead, Sandy ! " replied Richard, 
 in a low but energetic tone. " You might as well 
 publish our plan in the newspaper as speak as 
 loud as that." 
 
 " Port a little more," said the lookout forward. 
 
 " What's the use of hallooing port ?" answered 
 Richard, impatiently. " Don't you see the mainsail 
 shakes now ? " 
 
 " You will be on the rocks in half a minute 
 more." 
 
 " Let her go about, then, and we will get a little 
 farther to windward before we try to run in." 
 
 The Greyhound came over on the other tack, 
 and stood away from the shore a considerable dis 
 tance. The wind was very light, and the current 
 was against them ; so the progress of the boat was 
 necessarily very slow. 
 
 " Now, Sandy Brimblecom," said Richard, when 
 the boat had made a third of the distance to the
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHARD GRANT 13 
 
 opposite shore, " we might as well go tack to 
 Woodville, and go to bed, as to attempt to carry 
 this thing through, if you are going to bellow and 
 
 yell like a mad bull." 
 + 
 " I didn't think I spoke very loud," replied Sandy. 
 
 " Didn't think so ! " sneered Richard. " Any 
 one might have heard you clear across the river." 
 
 " 0, no, Dick ; not so bad as that." 
 
 " You spoke too loud, at any rate, and you 
 might as well go up and tell ' Old Batterbonea' 
 what we are about as talk half so loud as you 
 did." 
 
 " Come, Dick, you have said enough," replied 
 Sandy, who did not relish all the reflections that 
 were cast upon his conduct. 
 
 " You are as stupid as an owl ; I thought you 
 had some common sense." 
 
 "That'll do, Dick; I don't want any more of 
 that kind of blarney ; and if you don't shut up, 
 you or I will get a black eye." 
 
 Richard did not seem to have much doubt which 
 of them would obtain this ornamental tinting of 
 the physiognomy, for he immediately changed his 
 2
 
 14 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 tone, and did not venture to apply any more un 
 pleasant epithets to his companion. Sandy had 
 obtained some reputation as a fighting character, 
 and was virtually the champion of the ring among 
 the boys in the vicinity of Whitestone. 
 
 " Now be more careful, this time, Sandy," said 
 Richard, as he put the boat about upon the other 
 tack. 
 
 " Don't give me any more lip, Dick, and I will 
 do any thing you want," replied Sandy, mollified 
 by the altered tones of his friend. 
 
 " Don't get mad ; we have no time to quarrel, 
 if we mean to put this thing through to-night." 
 
 " I am ready to put it through, but I have no 
 notion of being treated like a slave or a fool," 
 said Sandy, as he lay down upon the half-deck, 
 and began to gaze into the gloom ahead of the 
 boat. " Luff a little," he added, as he discovered 
 the dim outline of the shore. 
 
 " Luff, it is." 
 
 This time, both boys spoke in a low tone, and 
 the want of harmony which a few moments before 
 had threatened to break up the enterprise, and end
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GKANT. 15 
 
 in a game of rough and tumble, was removed. 
 The Greyhound, under the skilful management of 
 Richard, pr there was not a better sailor of hia 
 years on the Hudson, was thrown info the inlet 
 without touching the rocks which lay at the entrance. 
 
 Sandy, with the painter in his hand, jumped 
 ashore, and made fast to a small tree on the bank. 
 Neither of the boys spoke a loud word, and Rich 
 ard carefully brailed up the sails, so that their 
 flapping should not attract the attention of any 
 person who might be in the vicinity. 
 
 " Now, Dick, if you will follow me, I will lead 
 you up to Old Batterbones' garden," whispered 
 Sandy, when the sail boat had been properly 
 secured. 
 
 " I will follow you. Have you got the bag ? " 
 
 " Yes all right" 
 
 Richard followed his companion up the steep 
 bank of the river, across a field, till they came to 
 a fence, where they paused to reconnoitre. 
 
 *' Now be careful, Sandy," whispered Richard, 
 nervously, " for I wouldn't be caught in this scrape 
 for the best hundred dollars that ever was."
 
 16 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " I don't want to be caught any more than you 
 do," replied Sandy. 
 
 " Well, it won't make so much difference with 
 you as it will with me." 
 
 " Won't it ! Don't you think my neck is worth 
 as much to me as yours is to you ? " 
 
 *' I don't mean that, of course. Your father is 
 a carpenter, and people won't think half so much 
 of it if you are caught, as they would in my 
 case." 
 
 " My father never was in the Tombs if he is a 
 carpenter," growled Sandy. 
 
 " That's mean," said Richard. " You know he 
 was put there for nothing at all." 
 
 " It isn't half so mean as what you said. If 
 you think you are so much better than I am, what 
 did you ask me to come with you for ? " 
 
 " I don't think I am any better than you are." 
 
 " Yes, you do ; and you may go ahead with the 
 game ; I won't go any farther." 
 
 " Don't back out, Sandy. Have you got scared ?" 
 
 " I'm not scared ; you are too big for your 
 boots."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 17 
 
 " No, no, Sandy, I didn't mean any thing of 
 the sort." 
 
 " Didn't you say it wouldn't make as much dif 
 ference with me as with you, if we got caught ? " 
 
 *' I only meant that people would talk more 
 about me than they would about you." 
 
 " Perhaps they would, and perhaps they wouldn't. 
 In my opinion, I'm as good as you are, any day." 
 
 " Of course you are ; I never doubted it. Come, 
 Sandy, we've run together too long to fall out now." 
 
 " I don't want to fall out, or back out ; but I 
 don't want to be snubbed, every ten minutes, about 
 my father's being a carpenter." 
 
 " I won't say another word, Sandy. I didn't 
 mean any thing." 
 
 " All right, my boy. I don't live in a big house, 
 and my father isn't rich ; but I'm just as good as 
 any other fellow, for all that. If you didn't mean 
 any thing, I'm satisfied." 
 
 " If I thought you were not as good as I am, 
 of course I shouldn't go with you." 
 
 This conversation was carried on in a very low 
 tone, Avhile the boys were seated bv the fence. 
 2*
 
 18 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 When Sandy's injured honor was healed, and the 
 son of the rich broker of Woodville had acknowl 
 edged that the other was his equal, they were 
 again ready to proceed with the business of the 
 enterprise. Richard was not content with the hom 
 age which his companions could render without 
 any sacrifice of self-respect, but he exacted the 
 right not only to command them, but also to be 
 indulged in the use of opprobrious epithets. 
 
 Sandy, as the "bully" of his circle, could not 
 quietly submit to the domineering style of the rich 
 man's son. He was willing, for the sake of sharing 
 in the " loaves and fishes," which Richard had to 
 distribute, to compromise far enough to be ordered 
 in a gentlemanly way ; but he would not tolerate 
 any invidious comparisons. Richard had a fine 
 boat, and Sandy was very fond of sailing, which 
 made him sacrifice some portion of his dignity as 
 the champion of the ring. Richard was usually well 
 supplied with money, which was a scarce article 
 with the son of the journeyman carpenter, and 
 boys bow down to the Mammon of this world, as 
 well as men.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 19 
 
 Riciard patronized Sandy because his hard fist 
 and abundant muscle rendered him a powerful and 
 influential person. It was easier to buy the cham 
 pion than it was to whip him, and the broker's son 
 had conquered the bully by paying for the oysters 
 at Bob Bleeker's saloon in Whitestone, and by per 
 mitting him to use the Greyhound when he wished. 
 Richard had a great respect for muscle. If Sandy 
 Brimblecom's father had chosen to pursue his 
 peaceful avocation in any other locality than White- 
 stone, Richard Grant might have been the cham 
 pion of the " P. R." The advent of Sandy had 
 produced a fight, in which Richard, though he 
 behaved to the satisfaction of all his friends and 
 supporters, was severely punished. His friends 
 called it a drawn battle ; but Richard did not 
 think it advisable to have the question definitely 
 settled, and Sandy was acknowledged as the cham 
 pion. 
 
 Richard respected the boy he could not whip, 
 and they had become friends, or, at least, associ 
 ates. It is scarcely necessary to inform the intel 
 ligent young readers of this book, that the moral
 
 20 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 standard of both boys was very low ; for those who 
 can fight simply to find out which is " the better 
 man," have a very inadequate conception of what 
 constitutes true dignity and nobility of character. 
 "Muscle" and "backbone" fighting ability and 
 courage in a good cause, are to be respected, 
 and men and boys will always pay them due hom 
 age ; but fighting for its own sake is mean, low 
 lived business the most vicious of vices. 
 
 Sandy was satisfied with the explanation of his 
 patron, and rising from his seat under the fence, 
 he looked over into the garden, and listened for 
 any sounds which might indicate an obstacle ia 
 the way of the enterprise ; but not a sound could 
 be heard except the chirping of the crickets and 
 the piping of the frogs. With a great deal of care, 
 he climbed to the top of the fence, and then lis 
 tened again. 
 
 " Does he keep a dog ? " whispered Richard. 
 
 " I don't know ; I don't care, either," replied 
 Sandy, as he dropped from the fence into the 
 garden. 
 
 Richard climbed over with the same caution which
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 21 
 
 his companion had used, and after following him 
 for some distance, reached a patch of watermelons, 
 which appeared to be the destination of this night 
 expedition. 
 
 " Get down on the ground ! " whispered Sandy, 
 who had already prostrated himself. " You will blow 
 the whole thing if you stand up there." 
 
 " Open the bag, and let's fill it up quick ! " re 
 plied Richard, as he picked a large melon from the 
 vines, and handed it to the other. 
 
 " What's, the use of picking such a melon in 
 that ? " snarled Sandy. " It isn't ripe. Can't you 
 tell the ripe ones by the feeling ? " 
 
 "No; I can't." 
 
 " Stick your thumb nail into them. Here, you 
 take the bag, and I will pick them. We don't 
 want to lug off melons that are good for nothing." 
 
 Richard took the bag, and placed the fruit in it 
 as fast as Sandy gathered it. In a few moments 
 the bag was full, and the young marauders com 
 menced their retreat with all the haste which a 
 proper caution would permit. The bag was large and 
 heavy, and i* required their united strength to carry it
 
 22 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 The garden proved to be something like an eel 
 trap it was easy enough to get into it, but very 
 difficult to get out. Near the melon patch there 
 was a piece of corn, by the side of which lay their 
 path out of the enclosure. They had gone but a 
 ehort distance when they heard a rustling in the 
 corn behind them, and before they could make out 
 the cause of the noise, a strong hand grasped the 
 collar of each of them. 
 
 " We've caught you, my lads ! " exclaimed on 
 of the men, who had seized Richard. 
 
 It was an awful scrape : so thought the broker's 
 son ; and Sandy, notwithstanding the difference ia 
 their social standing, was of the same opinion.
 
 THK CONQUEST OF RICHABD GBANT. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 BICHABD JUMPS OUT OF THE FBYING-PAN INTO 
 THE FIBE. 
 
 RICHABD GRANT was the son of a rich man, 
 but he was neither any better nor any worse for 
 this circumstance. He had been in a great many 
 sad scrapes before the one in which the reader 
 now finds him. It was not the first time he had 
 taken that which did not belong to him. 
 
 In his father's garden there was an abundance 
 of watermelons, and he had always been plenti 
 fully supplied with all the fruits in their season. 
 He had, therefore, no excuse for stealing melons. 
 There could be no excuse, under any circumstances, 
 for stealing. He did not need them ; he did not 
 even want them. 
 
 But Richard was fond of exciting adventures, 
 Mid it was simply the love of fun which had
 
 24 IV SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 prompted him to visit the garden of Mr. Batter* 
 man. I hope none of my young friends will think 
 this oven palliated his offence. If he did not have 
 the motive which act aates the common thief, he 
 was certainly more to blame than if he had 
 needed or wanted the product of his theft. 
 Stealing for fun cannot be any better than steal 
 ing from the love of gain, or to provide for one's 
 necessities. 
 
 Richard Grant is the hero of this volume ; but I 
 shall not wink at any of his vices or inconsisten 
 cies on this account. That he may not be utterly 
 despised, however, I may say of him that he had a 
 great many redeeming qualities. He was generous 
 to a fault, and his impulses were generally worthy 
 and noble. He was ready to give to the needy, 
 and to fight for the oppressed. He was kind- 
 hearted, and nothing but the love of sport could 
 induce him to violate the rights, or injure the feel 
 ings, of others. He lived upon excitement, and 
 was not always very choice of the means which he 
 used to procure it. 
 
 Richard's father had not been able to bestow
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 26 
 
 that care upon his moral education which his tem 
 perament required. He needed discipline, and the 
 want of it was seen in his daily life. Mr. Grant 
 was conscious of the boy's needs, and he frequently 
 talked to him about his vicious course ; but words 
 did not supply the want ; he required a more active 
 treatment. 
 
 Sandy Brimblecom was as little disturbed by his 
 conscience as his more wealthy companion. Aa 
 long as he could stand upon an equality with an 
 heir of Woodville, he was satisfied to let all moral 
 questions take care of themselves. The two boya 
 who sailed in the Greyhound on the eventful night 
 of their introduction to the reader, were well mated 
 in every respect. Either was ready to follow the 
 lead of the other, without asking whether he waa 
 doing right or wrong. If there was any fun to be 
 had out of the enterprise, both were ready to en 
 gage in it. 
 
 They had got into a bad scrape this, time, for 
 Mr. Batterman had the reputation of being a very 
 hard man. He had suffered a great deal from the 
 depredations of fruit thieves. He carried on a large
 
 26 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 business in raising fruit and vegetables for tho 
 New York market. It was not pastime to him, 
 but bread and butter the means by which ha 
 supported his family and accumulated his property. 
 Those who stole fruit from his gardens robbed him 
 of so much of his income ; and he was not in the 
 humor to submit to these exactions. 
 
 In several instances he had taken these petty 
 marauders before the courts, and caused them to 
 be fined ; but as this course did not remove the 
 evil, he had taken the law in his own hands, and 
 Beverely punished some of the juvenile offenders. 
 For this reason, among the boys he was called 
 " Old Batterbones," which was only a slight cor 
 ruption of his real name. 
 
 Of course Richard and Sandy had no idea of 
 being caught when they embarked in this plunder 
 ing expedition. They had taken extraordinary pre 
 cautions to prevent such a catastrophe ; but the 
 farmer was constantly on the watch, and they had 
 fallen into the trap which he had set not spe 
 cially for them, but for any \vho might invade hi* 
 grounds with malicious intent.
 
 RICHARD IN TROUBLE. Page 27.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAHD GHANT. 27 
 
 The person who held Richard by the collar, and 
 whose finger nails had already left their marks upon 
 his neck, was no less a person than " Old Batter- 
 bones " himself ; and from the manner in which he 
 shook his prisoner, he seemed determined to make 
 good his title to the sobriquet the boys had given 
 him. The person who held Sandy in his grasp 
 was the farmer's foreman, who fully sympathized 
 with his employer in his views of discipline. 
 
 Richard struggled, and Sandy struggled ; but they 
 might as well have attempted to escape from the 
 grip of an iron vise. The farmer and his man 
 held them fast ; and the more their prisoners 
 squirmed, the more they shook them, and the more 
 they seemed to enjoy the satisfaction of shaking 
 and choking them. 
 
 " We've caught you, my lads," said Mr. Batter- 
 man several times. 
 
 " Let go of me," growled Richard, his anger 
 fully aroused by the rough treatment he was re- 
 reiving. 
 
 " I'll let go, you young villain, when I've done 
 with you, but not before. I'll teach you to sfea]
 
 28 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK. 
 
 my melons;- and then you can go home and tell 
 your father how it is done," replied the farmer, 
 as he twisted the cravat of the poor boy till he 
 could hardly breathe. 
 
 Sandy, finding that any violent resistance was 
 hopeless, submitted to his fate with the best grace 
 he could command ; but he only waited his chance 
 far something to turn up that would afford him an 
 opportunity to escape. He intended to use his 
 wits, rather than his muscle, on this occasion ; and 
 his prudence saved him from some portion of the 
 hard usage that was bestowed upon his companion 
 in misery. 
 
 " Keep cool, Dick," said he, in a low tone, 
 when he saw that his friend was wasting his 
 strength and adding to his discomfort by useless 
 resistance to the fiat of destiny. 
 
 Kichard profited by this hint ; and when he be 
 came calm and reasonable, the farmer relaxed hia 
 grasp, and permitted him to breathe with more 
 freedom. 
 
 "Who are they, Bates?" asked the farmer of 
 nis foreman.
 
 THE CONQUEST CF EICHAED GKANT. 29 
 
 " I don't know them ; it is so dark I can't 
 make them out," replied Bates. 
 
 "We'll take them up to the barn, and see -\\hat 
 they look like." 
 
 " They have been here before, I think," added 
 the foreman. " I am pretty sure I saw them the 
 other night." 
 
 "No, you didn't," said Richard, testily. " I 
 never was here before." 
 
 " Perhaps you never was, my boys ; but when 
 chaps like you go far enough to steal, you don't 
 stand about a lie or two to cover it up. Now, 
 boys, you may take up that bag, and carry it to 
 the barn." 
 
 " I won't carry it," said Richard, promptly. 
 
 " Won't you ? " And the farmer again applied 
 the twisting process to his cravat, till the boy's 
 strength was almost gone from the choking sen 
 sation. 
 
 " Let go of me ! You'll choke me to death ! " 
 gasped Richard, who had never before been so 
 roughly handled. 
 
 " Will you carry the bag up to the barn, "hen ? " 
 3*
 
 30 IN SCHCOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 demanded Mr. Batterman, as he eased off the pres 
 sure upon the prisoner's throat. 
 
 " No, I won't ! " replied Richard. 
 
 " Now, I think you will," said the farmer, as he 
 resumed the torture. 
 
 " Come, Dick, we may as well do it. It is no 
 use to kick ; we are in for it, and you had better 
 make the best of it," interposed Sandy, who was 
 disposed to get off as cheaply as he could. 
 
 " I won't touch the bag ! I'll die first ! " gasped 
 Richard, whose rage had now reached the boiling 
 point, and there was no more reason in him than 
 in a mad dog. 
 
 " He's a hard one," suggested Bates. 
 
 " But he shall come to it, or I'll break every 
 bone in his body," answered the farmer. 
 
 Richard, insane with passion, and choking with 
 rage as well as from the discipline of Mr. Batter 
 man, commenced a tremendous struggle for freedom 
 and self-preservation. He sprang towards his cap 
 tor in an ineffectual attempt to hit him, or to 
 scratch out his eyes with his finger nails. Failing 
 In his efforts in this direction, he began to use his
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GRANT. 31 
 
 nee A as vigorously as a three-year old colt, and 
 succeeded in planting two or three hard kicks upon 
 the shins of the farmer. 
 
 Mr. Batterman was a large and powerful man, 
 and the efforts of Richard were as puny as those of 
 a lamb in the fangs of the lion. He foamed and 
 struggled till his strength was exhausted, and his 
 conqueror permitted him to drop upon the ground. 
 
 " You've killed him," said Sandy, very much 
 alarmed at the apparent fate of his friend. 
 
 " If I have, that's his business, not mine," an 
 swered the farmer, without betraying any remorse 
 at what he had done. 
 
 But Richard was not killed, or even very badly 
 injured. The choking had deprived him of all 
 his strength ; but a few minutes' respite from per 
 secution restored him in a great measure, and he 
 attempted to get up, when he was promptly seized 
 by the farmer again. 
 
 " Will you carry the bag up to the barn, or wil 
 you try some more of the same sort ? " asked Mr. 
 Batterman, in a tone which fully indicated his in 
 tention to resume his harsh treatment.
 
 FN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 " I can't carry it," replied Richard, in an altered 
 tone, which was, at least, suggestive of a " caving 
 in" of his obdurate will. 
 
 " You carried it very well before you were caught, 
 and perhaps you can again," sneered the farmer. 
 
 " Come, Dick, take hold of the bag," said 
 Sandy. " It's no use." 
 
 " I wasn't brought up to do that kind of work," 
 replied Richard, whose pride, quite as much as his 
 self-will, prompted him to refuse to do the de 
 grading office. 
 
 " Take your choice, and be quick," said Mr. 
 Batterman, preparing to apply his disciplinary pow 
 ers again. " Take hold of the bag at once, or 
 I'll shake the life out of you." 
 
 Richard could not stand another dose of the 
 farmer's exhausting medicine, and he sullenly seized 
 the bag, while Sandy took hold of the other side. 
 Bates and the farmer kept close to them, so that 
 there was no chance to break away. After chan 
 ging hands several times, they reached the barn, and 
 placed the melons in the position designated by 
 their tormentors.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAKD GKANT. 33 
 
 " Now, who are you ? " asked the farmer, when 
 they had disposed of the bag. 
 
 " None of your business." answered Richard, in 
 a low, sullen tone. 
 
 " You haven't got enough of it yet. Bates, 
 bring the lantern, and fetch a cowhide with you, 
 while you are about it." 
 
 Richard did not like the sound of this last order. 
 It was ominous of a painful and degrading opera 
 tion, a process of discipline to which he had never 
 before been subjected. The idea of being whipped 
 was almost as terrible as that of being shot through 
 the head or heart. 
 
 " Will you tell me your name, young man ? " 
 demanded the farmer, when the foreman had gone. 
 " Let me inform you in the beginning, that I am 
 in no humor to be trifled with. You can answer 
 me or not, just as you think best." 
 
 " I would rather not tell my name," replied 
 Richard, in a subdued tone. 
 
 The son of the rich broker of Woodville had 
 conscientious scruples on this point ; for though he 
 did not scruple to commit the theft, he was fully
 
 84 IK SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 alive to the disgrace of being exposed. The good 
 name, the worldly reputation of his family, seemed 
 to be of more value than a conscience void of 
 offence before Him who readeth all hearts. To 
 speak of the sin of the act was but to utter trite 
 and commonplace words, which could be found in 
 any cheap catechism ; but to mention the disgrace 
 attending the exposure of that sin, was to touch 
 him where he was keenly sensitive. 
 
 " You must tell me your name," said Mr. Bat- 
 terman, firmly. "What is your name ?" he added, 
 turning to Sandy, whom he now held with one 
 hand. 
 
 " Sanderson Brimblecom," answered he, for he 
 had no family reputation to guard. 
 
 " Now, yours ? " said he to Richard. 
 
 The broker's son made no reply. He had now 
 too much respect for Mr. Batterman to irritate him 
 with words, and too much respect for the name he 
 bore to connect it with the theft he had commit 
 ted. He waited in silence- till Bates came with 
 the lantern.
 
 * THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 35 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 RICHARD FINDS THAT NO CHASTENING SEEMETfl 
 TO BE JOYOUS. 
 
 " TELL him who you are, Dick," said San /, 
 when Bates appeared with the lantern. ""\Vhavs 
 the use of trying to cover up your name, when 
 the light will blow the whole thing ? " 
 
 " Well, Dick," added the farmer, adopting the 
 name Sandy had used, " if you don't tell me who 
 you are, I shall see what virtue there is in that 
 cowhide." 
 
 " My name is Richard Grant," replied the bro 
 ker's son, sullenly, and with the feeling that he had 
 sacrificed all his manhood by giving up the point. 
 
 " Ah, then you are the son of Mr. Grant, of Wood- 
 ville ! " sneered Mr. Batterman. " I don't wonder 
 you didn't want to tell your name, for stealing 
 melons isn't a very respectable business."
 
 36 LN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " I am willing to pay for the melons, and let 
 the matter drop where it is," said Richard, who 
 was so far humbled as to be willing to compromise 
 with the owner of the stolen fruit. 
 
 " I am not exactly willing to let the matter drop 
 where it is. You are the son of a rich and respect 
 able man, and you ought to know better than to 
 steal ; and I am going to give you a lesson which 
 I hoj.'t you will profit by." 
 
 " I w\ll pay double price for all the melons, if 
 you w.'U kt me go." 
 
 " I wculdn't let you go if you would pay ten 
 times the value of the melons. I want to teach 
 you better than to steal ; and when I've done with 
 you, I don't believe you will want to steal any 
 more of my fruit." 
 
 "What are you going to do?" demanded Rich 
 ard, very much disturbed by the decided tones of 
 tLe farmer. 
 
 '* I'm going to give you a sound thrashing,'' 
 
 ** No, yon are not," said Richard, who would 
 vk'ker have died on the spot than submit to the 
 humiliation of a flogging.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 37 
 
 ** You will see whether I am or not. It's no 
 kind of use for me to take a rich man's son like 
 you before the court. Your father would pay your 
 fine, and you would laugh in your sleeve, and call 
 it a good joke." 
 
 " You have no right to flog me," protested 
 Richard. 
 
 ** Perhaps I haven't ; but I'm going to do it, if 
 I have to suffer myself for it. I am going to have 
 the satisfaction of curing you of stealing my mel 
 ons." 
 
 Bates had taken hold of Sandy again, and Mr. 
 Batterman prepared to make good his promise. By 
 the light of the lantern Richard saw the hard face 
 of the farmer. It was stern and forbidding, and 
 he felt that he meant all .he had said. How could 
 the son of the owner of Woodville submit to the 
 disgrace of being whipped ? At home he was 
 treated with respect and consideration. The ser 
 vants took off their hats to him. His father, in his 
 sternest moments, had never hinted such a thing as 
 torporal punishment. 
 
 It seemed absolutely impossible for him to sub- 
 4
 
 38 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 init to the farmer's terrible remedy, but there was 
 no way to avoid it. He had offered to compromise, 
 but nothing would satisfy his relentless captor. 
 The punishment was to be inflicted in the spirit 
 of revenge rather than from a sense of duty, which 
 made it all the more intolerable to think of. He 
 was not to be whipped for his own or the public 
 good, but to satisfy the malice and revenge of 
 V Old Batterbones." 
 
 He decided not to submit to the infliction ; but 
 he might as well have decided not to let the sun 
 rise on the following morning, or to stop the Hud 
 son in its majestic flow to the sea. His own ex 
 perience, so dearly bought in the garden, had shown 
 him that he was utterly incapable of any successful 
 resistance. He looked around him for the means 
 of escape, and racked his brain for some expedient 
 that would enable him to checkmate his unwieldy 
 opponent ; but he looked in vain, and thought in 
 vain. There was nothing upon which to hang even 
 the faintest hope of resistance or escape. 
 
 The farmer held him by the collar, and the ter 
 rible instrument of torture was raised over his head-
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHABD GRANT. 39 
 
 It fell, and Richard writhed with the pain, not of 
 the body alone, for the blow seemed to penetrate 
 to his soul. It lacerated his pride, his self-respect, 
 more than it did his legs. He trembled like an 
 aspen leaf, as much from intense emotion as from 
 the smart of the stroke. 
 
 Richard was no coward, but he would have 
 begged off, if he could have done so with any pros 
 pect of success ; but he might as well have pleaded 
 with the ocean to hold back its destructive waves, 
 as with Mr. Batterman to stay his hand, before his 
 revenge was satisfied. Another and another blow 
 fell. The pain was so severe that the culprit 
 could not endure it, and the quick-falling strokes 
 soon kindled a fire in his soul which neither pru 
 dence nor policy could check. It burst out in a 
 raging flame of passion, which caused him to roar 
 like a mad bull, and to kick, bite, and struggle 
 like an imprisoned tiger. 
 
 All this resistance only added to the spite of 
 4us persecutor and he laid on the blows till hi 
 own strength failed him. In vain Sandy remon 
 strated with Richard upon the folly of his course,
 
 40 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 and begged him to keep cool, as though a severe 
 flogging was one of the light afflictions of this 
 world, that may be endured with patience by a 
 philosophical temperament. 
 
 " Old Batterbones" had exhausted himself in the 
 struggle. His " wind" was gone ; and he gave up 
 because he could do no more, rather than because 
 he was satisfied with the extent of the punishment. 
 
 " There, Mr. Richard Grant, of Woodville, when 
 you want to steal any more melons of mine, think 
 of that," said the farmer, as he cast the culprit 
 from him. 
 
 " You '11 have to pay for this," groaned Richard, 
 who felt as though he had endured all the tortures 
 of the Inquisition. 
 
 " Perhaps I shall," puffed Mr. Batterman ; " but 
 if you have got enough to make you a wiser and 
 a better boy, I shall be perfectly satisfied." 
 
 " I'll be revenged on you for this, if it costs 
 me my life, exclaimed Richard, whose soul smarted 
 even more than his body. 
 
 "Shut up, now!" said the farmer, angrily, " 01 
 Fll give you some more."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GKANT. 41 
 
 Richard did shut up, for the incident had devel 
 oped a grain of discretion in his composition, if 
 nothing better though nothing better could be 
 expected from a flogging inflicted in the spirit of 
 malice. 
 
 " Now, my boy," said the farmer, turning to 
 Sandy, when he had in some measure recovered 
 his breath, " we will see what we can do for you. 
 You are not a fool like the other fellow, and youi 
 wisdom will serve you a good turn." 
 
 Sandy made no remark in reply to this speech 
 of Mr. Batterman. He had made up his mind to 
 sxibmit with all the philosophy he could bring to 
 his aid. He had been flogged before. It was not 
 a new institution to him, as it had been to his 
 companion in iniquity. He looked upon a flogging 
 as one of the necessary evils to which a fast boy 
 must submit ; and though he did not think it was 
 all for the best, he was disposed to make the best 
 >f it. The tlirashing was the gate by which he 
 was to escape from a bad scrape. 
 
 The farmer bore less malice towards him than 
 toward? his friend. He had offered no resistance, 
 4*
 
 42 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 end been measurably humble under the discipline 
 of misfortune. The blows were lighter and less in 
 number, and when a dozen strokes had been ad 
 ministered, Mr. Batterman was satisfied, and so 
 expressed himself. At the same time he volun 
 teered an opinion that Richard was the real sinner, 
 End had led the other into the mischief a posi 
 tion which Sandy took no pains to controvert. 
 
 But Sandy, though he was a philosopher, and an 
 embryo man of the world, did not submit to his 
 punishment in silence. He was not a Stoic, and 
 every blow extorted from him a cry of pain, which 
 was as politic as it was necessary. He labored to 
 convince the farmer that he was suffering severely 
 from the castigation, so that he might be .the 
 sooner satisfied with what had been done. Com 
 pared with that which Richard had received, hia 
 whipping was light. When it was finished, he 
 was surprised that he had got off with so little ; . 
 and he congratulated himself upon the strategy 
 which had so sensibly diminished his portion. 
 
 " Now, boys, you can go. If you are satisfied, 
 I am ; and when you want to steal any more of
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 43 
 
 my fruit, just remember my treatment of fruit 
 thieves," said the farmer. 
 
 " You haven't seen the end of this yet," replied 
 Richard, as he moved off, his skin and his proud 
 spirit smarting in unison. 
 
 " You haven't seen the end of it either, if you 
 don't keep a civil tongue in your head." 
 
 Richard was tempted to enter immediately upon 
 
 % 
 
 the work of revenging himself for what he had 
 suffered, and when the farmer spoke, he picked up 
 a couple of stones, with the intention of throwing 
 them at his tormentor ; but Sandy, cool and self- 
 possessed in the hour of tribulation, dissuaded him 
 from this insane course. 
 
 " No use, Dick ; drop the stones, and we will 
 I ay him off at another time, when we can do so 
 without danger." 
 
 Richard listened to this prudent advice, and con 
 cluded to adopt it, though he was impatient to be 
 revenged upon the farmer. He was not satisfied 
 with Sandy. He had not been sustained in his 
 resistance to the barbarous conduct of their cap 
 tor. He thought his companion had been tamo
 
 44 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 and mean-spirited, he Lad submitted so quietly to 
 his punishment ; and. when they had got out of 
 the hearing of Mr. Batterman, he roundly reproached 
 him for his pusillanimous demeanor. 
 
 " I don't want to call you any hard names, Dick, 
 but in my humble opinion, you were a downright 
 fool," replied Sandy. " It's no sort of use to 
 pound a stone wall with your naked fist. You 
 don't hurt the wall any." 
 
 " I like to see a fellow show some spirit," 
 growled Richard. " I thought you had some spunk ; 
 but you caved in, and took your flogging as meekly 
 as though you had been one of the saints in Fox'a 
 Book of Martyrs." 
 
 " I don't know any thing about your martyrs, 
 but I hadn't any notion of getting a double lick 
 ing, as you did. You got four times as much as 
 I did, just because you were fool enough to resist. 
 If there had been any use in fighting, I would 
 have fought as big as you did." 
 
 " I like to see a fellow stand by another when 
 he gets into a scrape," whined Richard. 
 
 " Do you mean to say I didn't stand by yon ?
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 45 
 
 Did I run away from you ? " demanded Saudy, in 
 dignantly. 
 
 " You couldn't run away. The man held you 
 fast, or you would have done so." 
 
 " It's very easy for you to talk. I did all I 
 could to make you act like a reasonable fellow ; 
 but you were bound to be a fool, and you got all 
 you bargained for." 
 
 Richard made no reply to his companion's taunts, 
 for his philosophy was beginning to commend itself 
 to his common sense, as he thought of the differ 
 ence in the two floggings, and realized that it was 
 all owing to his own stupidity. They walked along 
 in silence, till they reached the Greyhound, but 
 still with " thoughts too big for utterance." 
 
 " A pretty condition I am in to go home," said 
 Richard, as he took his place at the helm. 
 
 " You will be all right in a day or too," replied 
 Sandy, consolingly. 
 
 " What will my father say ? " 
 
 " If you are fool enough to let him know about 
 it, I don't care wha he says."
 
 46 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " How can I help it ? The blood is running 
 down my legs now. My skin is all cut up." 
 
 " Wash off the blood, and don't let any body 
 see your legs." 
 
 " I could kill Old Batterbones," added Richard, 
 grating his teeth. 
 
 " We'll pay him off." 
 
 " I'll have my revenge, if I die for it." 
 
 " I'm with you there, Dick." 
 
 It was midnight when the Greyhound reached 
 the pier at Woodville.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHABD QBANT. 47 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 RICHABD MAKES A TREMENDOUS SEXSATION AT 
 WOODVILLE. 
 
 THE mansion at "Woodville was dark and silent 
 when Richard stole cautiously up the walk which 
 led from the pier to the house. Of course his 
 father and the other members of the family sup 
 posed he was asleep in his chamber, where he had 
 gone at an early hour to retire. He had locked 
 his door as usual, and to make the deception more 
 complete, he had pretended that he was not very 
 well. 
 
 His chamber window opened upon the one-story 
 addition which had been erected to afford room for 
 a conservatory. On one end of the structure there 
 was a trellis for the support of a grape vine. 
 After he had locked his door, Richard had opened 
 the window, crawled out upon the roof of the con
 
 48 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 Bervatory, and descended to the ground by the aid 
 of the trellis. 
 
 He intended to return to his room by the same 
 route, but it was now a more difficult matter than 
 it had been when the family were all in the sitting 
 room. Mr. Presby's room was next to his own, and 
 the old gentleman was not a very sound sleeper. 
 The difficulty of gaining access to his room was sp 
 great that he was tempted to sleep in the boat 
 house, and not take the risk of being discovered ; 
 but the condition of his legs, still smarting severely 
 from the chastisement he had received, would not 
 permit him to do so. His wounds needed atten 
 tion, and though he was no surgeon, he knew that 
 a good washing in cold water, with the application 
 of a simple remedy he had in his chamber, might 
 ease the pain, and perhaps save him from serious 
 consequences. 
 
 With a stealthy step he walked round to the 
 conservatory, and with the utmost care commenced 
 the ascent of the trellis. With all the precautions 
 he could use, it was impossible to avoid mak 
 ing some noise, and he trembled lest the wakeful
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHASD GBANT. 49 
 
 invalid should hear him. But he succeeded in gain 
 ing the roof without creating an alarm. Here he 
 felt comparatively secure ; but sometimes when we 
 think we are safest we are in the greatest peril. 
 The roof, wet with the dew of night, was very 
 slippery ; and when he reached up to open the win 
 dow, his feet flew up beneath him, and he fell, 
 with noise enough to rouse a deeper sleeper than 
 Mr. Presby. 
 
 " Help ! Help ! Robbers ! Thieves ! " shouted the 
 old gentleman, as he threw open his window. 
 
 The invalid's lungs did not seem to be at all 
 affected, and there would have been no difficulty in 
 hearing him all over the house, not to say all over 
 the estate. Richard, taking advantage of the momen 
 tary confusion, threw open the window, and sprang 
 into his room. Doors were opening in all parts 
 of the house, and he could hear the hurried tread 
 of the members of the household in the halls. 
 
 But Richard did not lose his self-possession, and 
 
 hastily threw off his clothes. Placing himself at the 
 
 open window, he joined in the cry which Mr. Presby 
 
 Btill continued, and hallooed AS lustily as his neigh- 
 
 5
 
 50 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 bor in the adjoining room. The house was in a 
 complete uproar, and presently he heard the voices 
 of his father and uncle Obed at his door. 
 
 " Richard," said Mr. Grant. 
 
 " Sir," replied the young scapegrace. 
 
 " Open the door." 
 
 " They are not in here, father ; they are out 
 doors. One of them just jumped off the conserva 
 tory, at least, I think he did." 
 
 " Did you see them ? " asked uncle Obed. 
 
 " No, I didn't see them, but I think I heard 
 them." 
 
 Mr. Grant seemed to be satisfied with the infor 
 mation he had gained, and retired from the door. 
 Richard lighted his lamp, and waited impatiently 
 for the disturbance to subside ; but he had to wait 
 a long time, for ewry body about the place had 
 been thoroughly waked up. Mr. Presby went down 
 to the sitting room, where, after a thorough search 
 had been made, the family and the servants had 
 collected to compare notes, and ascertain to what 
 extent the supposed robbers had been successful 
 in their enterprise.
 
 THE COXQl'ICST OF K I CHARD GRANT. 51 
 
 .Richard's two sisters, Bertha and Fanny, we^e 
 there, and both of them very much terrified. Mr. 
 Grant soon pacified them with the assurance that 
 no one had been injured, and that there was no 
 further danger. But Richard was not there, and his 
 absence was noticed. He and Mr. Presby had 
 been the only persons who had heard the robbers, 
 and they had created the alarm. The old gentle 
 man told his story, and Richard's testimony was 
 very much needed to complete the chain of evi 
 dence. One of the men servants was sent up to 
 request him to join the party. 
 
 " Tell them I don't feel very well, and have 
 gone to bed again," replied Richard, when the man 
 delivered his message. 
 
 But this was the most dangerous answer he 
 could have returned ; for Mr. Grant, followed by 
 uncle Obed and Mr. Presby, hastened up stairs to 
 ascertain the nature of his illness. 
 
 " What ails you, Richard ? " demanded his father, 
 in the tones of sympathy and kindness. 
 
 " Nothing particular ; only I don't feel jusl 
 right," replied the young midnight marauder.
 
 52 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, Oil 
 
 terribly alarmed as he thought of the probable 
 consequences of this visitation. 
 
 " Well, open the door, and let me see what I 
 can do for you," added his father. 
 
 " I don't want any thing done. I shall be well 
 enough in the morning." 
 
 " You had better open the door, Richard; I want 
 to see you about the robbery." 
 
 " I can't ; I am in bed." 
 
 " Don't get up then," said Mr. Grant, more 
 anxious than at first for the health of his son. 
 " I have a key that will open the door." 
 
 These words struck terror to the soul of the 
 guilty youth, and he sprang out of bed with al] 
 the haste he could command. One terror filled his 
 mind that his father might see his bleeding, 
 lacerated limbs ; and he did, what guilty persons 
 often do, the stupidest thing of which (he circum 
 stances would admit. He had blown out the light 
 when he heard them coming, and now in the dark 
 ness he pulled on his pants, forgetting that the 
 bed clothes would as effectually hide his injured 
 members as the garment.
 
 THE CONQUEST OT EICHAK1) GBANT. 53 
 
 He had hardly clothed himself in this partial 
 manner before his. father succeeded in opening the 
 door. By the aid of the light which uncle Obed 
 carried, the head and front of the melon expe 
 dition was revealed to the visitors, standing in the 
 middle of the room, half clothed and wholly scared. 
 
 " Why, Richard ! What ails you ? Where have 
 you been ? " demanded Mr. Grant, as he and the 
 others gazed with astonishment at the sorry figure 
 which the male heir of Woodville presented. 
 
 If Richard had attempted to dress himself in 
 the light, he would have rejected the muddy pants 
 he now wore, and consigned them to the deepest 
 depths of the clothes-press. He had rolled in the 
 moist earth of the melon patch, while under the 
 discipline of Mr. Batterman, till his clothes were 
 plastered with mud. His face was begrimed with 
 the rich black mould of the garden, through which 
 the tears of anger and resentment he had shec, 
 under the influence of their natural gravity, had 
 furrowed passages down his cheeks. 
 
 In the simple but eloquent language of Mrs. 
 Green, the housekeeper of Woodville, who had fol- 
 5*
 
 54 ES SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 lowed the party up stairs, to offer her services in 
 the capacity of nurse, Richard was " a sight to 
 behold." He had retired from the sitting room, 
 and bade the family good night before nine o'clock, 
 looking like a decent person. His pants were in 
 good condition then ; certainly, if they had been 
 in their present plight, it would have been no 
 ticed. 
 
 The first impulse of the visiting party was to 
 laugh at the extraordinary appearance he presented ; 
 but a stronger feeling of interest and sympathy 
 overruled the inclination, and the culprit was spared 
 this humiliation. Richard was almost as much 
 astonished as they were, for he had not regarded a 
 thing so trivial as his personal experience, in the 
 excitement and terror of the hour. 
 
 While the party were scrutinizing him with sur 
 prise and anxiety, he happened to glance at the 
 looking glass on the bureau. Then he saw big 
 hair tangled and matted with mud and filth ; then 
 he saw his dirty, tear-furrowed cheeks ; and then 
 he saw his befouled and torn pants. In the choice 
 language of the boys, it seemed to him that " the
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAED GBANT. 55 
 
 cat was out of the bag" beyond the possibility of 
 recovery. 
 
 " What ails you, Richard ? What under the 
 Bun has happened ? " asked Mr. Grant again, for 
 the terrified boy made no reply to the first question. 
 
 But Richard was an old head, and he had no 
 notion of being defeated in the present contest of 
 words or ideas. He stood like a statue in the 
 middle of the floor, and made no reply to the 
 interrogatories 
 
 " Where have you been i " said his father. " Can't 
 you speak ? " 
 
 " I don't know," replied Richard, with a bewil 
 dered look, as he gJanced with a vacant stare at 
 his soiled garments. 
 
 " Don't know where you have been ? " 
 
 "Nc, sir." 
 
 *' That's very singular," said uncle Obed. 
 
 " Have you been up siuce you went to bed ? " 
 demanded Mr. Grant. 
 
 " I don't know," replied Richard, vacantly, as 
 though the whole matter was as much a mystery 
 o him as to the others.
 
 56 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 M "Where were you when the alarm was given ? " 
 
 " Out on the roof of the conserv atory." 
 
 " On the roof ! " exclaimed his father. " Hcv? 
 rame you there r " 
 
 " I don't know," answered Richard, shaking his 
 head. 
 
 " Don't you know any thing about it ? " 
 
 " No, sir. I woke up, and heard some one hal 
 loo, Robbers ! thieves ! I was close by the window, 
 and I jumped in, and hallooed with the rest of 
 them." 
 
 "Were you standing on the roof?" 
 
 " No, I was flat on my face." 
 
 " I see," interposed Mr. Presby, holding up his 
 hands with astonishment, " I understand it all. 
 The poor boy is a sleep walker." 
 
 " Richard ? " said Mr. Grant, who had never 
 known his son to do such a thing before. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; your boy is unquestionably a som 
 nambulist. He has been wandering about the gar 
 den, and rolling in the mud, in his sleep. There 
 have been no robbers or thieves here to nighfc. 
 The poor boy fell on the roof; that was what
 
 THE CONQUEST OP KICHAKD GRANT. 57 
 
 \vaked him up ; and the noise of his fall was what 
 caused me to give the alarm." 
 
 " Very singular," added uncle Obed. 
 
 " I aever had any suspicion that he got up In 
 his sleep," said Mr. Grant. 
 
 " There are instances on record of persons ad 
 dicted to the practice who have followed it for 
 years, without discovery. Now, if you will come 
 to my room, I will read you several accounts, given 
 by competent medical authority, of cases just like 
 this," observed Mr. Presby. 
 
 But none of the party, at that hour of the night, 
 were disposed to consult the authorities on the 
 subject. If they had looked on the table in Rich 
 ard's room they might have found there a yellow- 
 covered pamphlet novel, entitled " Sylvester Sound, 
 the Somnambulist." It is a very curious and amusing 
 account of the antics of a sleep-walker, describing 
 the wonderful feats he performed in his slumbers, 
 without having the least idea of what he was 
 doing. 
 
 The ingenious young rogue had been reading the 
 book that very day, and in the drama of the " Mid-
 
 58 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 night Alarm," played at Woodville, he had chosen 
 for himself the part of Sylvester Sound. While his 
 father went for a hammer and nails, to secure the 
 window, Richard removed his telltale trousers, and 
 jumped into bed.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAKD GBANT. 59 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 HICHABD 18 DETERMINED TO BE REVENGED. 
 
 ME. GRANT nailed up the window in Richard's 
 room, so that when he should again walk in his 
 sleep, he might not be exposed to the peril of 
 breaking his neck by falling off the roof of the 
 conservatory. When this important work was ac 
 complished, the party retired. Mr. Presby was a 
 philosopher, and his library had not been a merely 
 ornamental appendage of his house. He had read 
 a great deal, and thought a great deal ; and mes 
 merism, biology, psychology, somnambulism, and 
 kindred subjects, had each in its turn been consid 
 ered, and a conclusion reached. 
 
 Mr. Presby, therefore, was not disposed to return 
 to his bed when the excitement had subsided. So 
 splendid an illustration of the phenomenon of sleep 
 walking was enough to kindle his enthusiasm. He
 
 60 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 tried to draw uncle Obed into a discussion on the 
 topic, but the latter was too sleepy. Mr. Grant 
 made a home question of the matter, and did not 
 care to indulge in any philosophical inquiries. One 
 after another the family retired, till the old gentle 
 man was left alone, and then, in despair, he resorted 
 to the " authorities " as he termed his books, and 
 read till the inmates of the hennery began tc 
 sound the morning call. 
 
 Richard did not come down stairs the next morn 
 ing till nine o'clock, when Mr. Grant and uncle 
 Obed had both gone to the city. He was so stiff 
 that he could hardly walk ; but he had washed 
 himself clean, and thrown aside the soiled garments 
 he had worn on the expedition. 
 
 Already the story of Richard's wonderful doings 
 in his sleep had been circulated all over the estate, 
 and when he limped into the breakfast room, every 
 body supposed he was suffering from the injuries 
 he had received during his nocturnal ramble. Mr. 
 Presby, whose researches were not yet completed, 
 had taken pains to tell the people of the house, 
 that somnambulists were peculiarly sensitive in
 
 THE CONQUEST OF HICHABD GRANT. 61 
 
 regard to their involuntary rambles, and, very much 
 to the surprise of Richard, no one even alluded to 
 the events of the night. 
 
 There was upon the faces and in the actions of 
 all with whom he came in contact, an expression 
 of abundant sympathy. He was treated with in 
 creased kindness and consideration by the family 
 and by the servants. When he had eaten hia 
 breakfast, the thought occurred to him that some 
 thing which might betray him had been left on 
 the Greyhound, and he hastened down to the pier 
 to remove any such evidence. 
 
 As he passed the boat house he heard the voicea 
 of Mr. Presby and Ben in the building. The 
 former had by no means slept off his enthusiasm 
 in the cause of science ; and as soon as the dew 
 was off the grass, he commenced exploring the 
 premises, in search of any appearances that might 
 throw new light upon the conduct of the " poor 
 boy " during his midnight ramble. He recalled the 
 dirty and foul condition of the patient when dis 
 covered in his room, and he examined all the vile 
 and filthy places in the neighborhood, for the marks 
 6
 
 62 IN SCHOOL AND 01 T, OR 
 
 of some terrible struggle that might have taken 
 place between the sleep-walker, and any real or 
 imaginary demon. 
 
 The patient seeker after the hidden truths of 
 science had been to the pigsty, to learn whether 
 he had been wrestling with the pigs ; he had looked 
 into the cow yard, the horse stables, and the dog 
 kennels for information upon the dark subject ; he 
 had patiently explored the cornfield and the potato 
 patch, and every dirty hole he could find ; but not 
 a single fact or hint could he obtain to assist him 
 in solving the difficult problem. 
 
 In the course of his investigations he had reached 
 the department of Ben, the boatman. He had care 
 fully noted the appearance of the earth on the 
 banks of the river, and, quite fatigued by his un 
 usual exertions, he had seated himself in the boat 
 house, where Ben was at work. 
 
 " Have you noticed any thing unusual about the 
 boats, Ben ? " asked the old gentleman, after he 
 had given the boatman a full exposition of his 
 views on somnambulism. 
 
 " Yes, sir ; I noticed that the Greyhound was in
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GBANT. 63 " 
 
 a very dirty, slovenly condition this morning. She 
 wasn't so last night, when I looked at her," re 
 plied the boatman. 
 
 "Ah, indeed!" 
 
 " The white seats in the standing room were 
 covered with black mud, and upon the edges there 
 were stains of blood." 
 
 " Blood ? " queried the philosopher. 
 
 " Yes, sir, blood ; I have seen blood in my day, 
 and I know what it looks like." 
 
 " Can it be possible ! Blood ! What could have 
 happened to the poor boy ? " 
 
 " I don't know, sir." 
 
 " It is really awful. There is no knowing what 
 the poor boy may have suffered." 
 
 " He got back all right, for the boat was made 
 fast, as usual, to her moorings." 
 
 " The poor fellow must have been off somewhere 
 in the boat, in his sleep." 
 
 " May be he did, sir," answered Ben, respectfully. 
 
 " O, there can be no doubt about it. Isn't it a 
 wonder that he wasn't drowned ? "
 
 64 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 *' Mr. Richard knows how to handle a boat as 
 well as any boy of his years on the river." 
 
 " Yes, but you forget that he was asleep all the 
 time." 
 
 " Perhaps he was, sir," said Ben, who did not 
 seem to appreciate Mr. Presby's philosophy. 
 
 " But he did not get all that mud and filth upon 
 him while he was in the boat." 
 
 " No, sir, of course he didn't ; for I wash down 
 the boat every time she is used, and she was as 
 neat as a new pin when I looked into her at sun 
 down last night." 
 
 " Then he must have landed somewhere," added 
 the logical Mr. Presby., 
 
 "No doubt of that, sir." 
 
 " Where do you suppose he landed ? " 
 
 " I haven't the least idea." 
 
 " Do you suppose you could find out by sailing 
 up and down the river, and examining the shore ? " 
 
 " Well, sir, if you could tell which way the 
 wind is by looking into the ship's coppers, per 
 haps you might." 
 
 " I feel a very deep interest in the poor boy's
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 65 
 
 welfare," added Mr. Presby, who did not admire 
 Ben's coldness on the subject ; " and if you could 
 obtain any information that would throw light on 
 this singular affair, you might confer a great favor 
 on the youth." 
 
 " I'll do any thing I can, sir, to find out about 
 it ; and if you want to go up and down the river 
 and examine the shore, I'll pull the boat for you." 
 
 Mr. Presby accepted this offer, and Richard kept 
 behind the boat house till they had embarked. 
 The roguish author of all these scientific inquiries 
 listened to the old gentleman's remarks on sleep 
 walking in general, and the phenomena of his own 
 case in particular, tiii the boat disappeared in the 
 cove above the pier. He then jumped into his 
 skiff, and pulled off to the Greyhound. 
 
 Ben had carefully removed all the stains of dirt 
 and blood, and the boat now bore no testimony 
 against him. Whatever the boatman might have 
 thought, he certainly said nothing, and was even 
 willing to countenance Mr. Presby's theory in ex 
 planation of the absence of the boat, and of her 
 dirty appearance. 
 6*
 
 66 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 Though Richard had every reason to be satisfied 
 with the success which had attended his represen 
 tation of the character of a somnambulist, he could 
 not banish the doubts and fears that haunted him. 
 Some unlucky mischance might betray him ; " Old 
 Batterbones" or Bates might tell the story; Sandy 
 might be entrapped into an exposure of the affair ; 
 indeed, there were so many ways by which the 
 secret might come out, that he was far from satis 
 fied with the prospect before him. 
 
 He was a high-spirited young man, and prided 
 himself upon his healthy body and well-developed 
 muscle, and the idea of being pitied as a person 
 having an infirmity upon him was far from grate 
 ful to his sensibilities. He did not much admin,' 
 Mr. Presby's inquiring mind, and thought he wa 
 an " old fool" to trouble himself about what did 
 not concern him. He did not care to be the sub 
 ject of his meditations. Being watched, pitied, 
 and made the object of a physiological study, 
 were almost as bad as being caught in the act 
 of stealing melons, 
 
 But above all considerations of his own safetj
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHARD GRANT. 67 
 
 or his cmn comfort was the reflection that he had 
 been whipped unjustly and cruelly whipped by 
 such a person as " Old Batterbones. " All the bad 
 boys hated and despised him, and he felt that 
 Woodville had been outraged in the person of its 
 male heir. These thoughts rankled in his soul, 
 and he was thirsting for revenge. He was deter 
 mined to have satisfaction for the injuries that had 
 been heaped upon him. Already the dim out 
 line of a purpose whose execution would secure 
 him ample vengeance was presented to his mind. 
 
 While these dark thoughts were passing through 
 his brain, he discovered the boat, with Mr. Presby 
 and Ben, returning to the pier. Not caring to en 
 counter the scrutiny, or answer the questions of 
 the philosopher, he hoisted the sails, and cast off 
 the moorings of the Greyhound. He was anxious 
 to see Sandy Brimblecom, and ascertain whether 
 he had been discovered when he went home. Sail 
 ing over to Whitestone, he found Sandy on the 
 wharf, and took him into the boat. 
 
 " Did you get into the house all right ? " asked 
 Richard as the Greyhound receded from the wharf
 
 68 IN SCHOOL A.XD CUT, OR 
 
 " I did, but I got caught for all that. Mj 
 mother had missed me, and about one o'clock, after 
 I had got into bed, the old man came up to my 
 chamber to see if I was there." 
 
 " Of course you pretended to be sound asleep." 
 
 " I did ; but it wouldn't go down. The old man 
 asked me where I had been. I told him I had 
 been over to see you." 
 
 " Did you, indeed ? ' sneered Richard. " And the 
 next thing he will do will be to go to my father, 
 and ask him if you were at our house. My folks 
 know I went to bed before nine o'clock. You 
 have got me into a pretty scrape." 
 
 " No, I haven't. The old man won't ask any 
 more questions ; but he was mad as thunder with 
 me for staying out so late. It's all right now, Dick ; 
 you needn't give yourself any trouble about it." 
 
 " I shall not do that, whatever happens." 
 
 Richard then described the happy " dodge" by 
 which he had thrown dust in the eyes of all the 
 inmates of Woodville. Sandy was much amused 
 at the account, and expressed a decided admiration 
 for the wonderful genius of his companion, and
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 69 
 
 even went so far as to request the loan of the 
 remarkable work which had suggested the expe 
 dient. He would like to read that book, though 
 he was not in the habit of doing such things. 
 
 " See there, Sandy," said Richard, as he pulled 
 up his pants, and exhibited to his friend the wales 
 aud broken skin upon his legs. 
 
 " That's hard," replied Sandy, as he shook his 
 head. " The old villain laid it on well." 
 
 " He did, and he shall pay dearly for it," added 
 Richard, as he compressed his lips and ground hia 
 teeth. " I'll be revenged upon him if it costs me 
 my life." 
 
 " I'm with you there", Dick." 
 
 " It shall be the worst night's work for Old 
 Batterbones that ever he did." 
 
 " What are you going to do, Dick ? " 
 
 "Will you stand by me, Sandy?" demanded 
 Richard, earnestly. 
 
 " Certainly ; to be sure I will. But, Dick, we 
 mustn't burn our own fingers," said his prudent 
 companion. " What are you going to do ? "
 
 70 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 In low tones, Richard detailed the scheme into 
 wnich his outline of a purpose had grown, and 
 when they parted at noon, the arrangements were 
 all completed.
 
 HJE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 71 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 HICHAM) GIVES ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION OF 
 SLEEP-WALKING. 
 
 FOR six or seven nights following the expe 
 dition to the watermelon patch of Mr. Batterman, 
 Richard Grant did not " walk in his sleep." The 
 parental solicitude of his father prompted him to 
 set a watch for several nights ; and Mr. Presby, 
 who was still anxious to pursue his scientific inves 
 tigations, slept with one eye open, that he might 
 be in readiness to avail himself of the reappear 
 ance of the phenomenon. 
 
 The philosopher's hint that sleep-walkers are 
 sensitive to any allusion to their infirmity, had pre- 
 rented him and Mr. Grant from informing the 
 tubject of their precautions of the steps they had 
 taken to observe his movements, ard Richard 
 was entirely unconscious that vigilant eyes were
 
 72 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 upon him while lie slept, or while he ought tc 
 sleep. 
 
 I3ut Richard was too lame and sore from the 
 effects of his flogging to indulge again so soon in 
 the luxury of " sleep-walking." He had not been 
 questioned in regard to the blood upon the seats 
 of the Greyhound, for, being asleep when the stains 
 were made, of course he would know nothinp 
 about them. Mr. Presby explained his inactivity 
 and want of energy upon philosophical principles, 
 and every body seemed to be satisfied. 
 
 The salve which the sufferer applied to his 
 wounded members healed the bruises in a few 
 days, and he was again in condition to pursue his 
 wonted sports and pleasures. After the lapse of ?, 
 week, as the patient exhibited no further signs of 
 the malady, the watch was discontinued ; but Mr. 
 Presby was too enthusiastic in the cause of science 
 to abandon the case so soon. He sat up in his 
 chamber till midnight, with his ears wide open, tc 
 catch the slightest indication of a movement on the 
 part of his interesting subject. 
 
 Every day, Richard and Sandy met ; and they
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 73 
 
 never failed to renew the mutual pledges they had 
 made to be revenged upon " Old Batterbones." The 
 plan was discussed and amended till no further 
 improvement could be made ; and by this time 
 Richard was so far recovered from his injuries as 
 to enable him to take the leading part in its exe 
 cution. The night was appointed for the purpose, 
 and it was agreed that the boys should meet at a 
 point just below Whitestone, where Richard was to 
 take Sandy into the Greyhound, and proceed to the 
 inlet where they had before landed. 
 
 It was a very difficult matter for Richard to get 
 out of the house without detection. If he could 
 succeed in opening his door, and walk through the 
 long halls of the mansion without attracting the 
 attention of any of its numerous inmates, he could 
 hardly expect to unlock any of the outer doors 
 with safety. After much reflection, he decided that 
 it would be the better way to go out as he had 
 gone before over the roof of the conservatory, 
 and down the trellis. 
 
 With the proper tools, therefore, r.e had removed 
 the nails with which his father had secured the 
 7
 
 74 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 window of his chamber. He had then skilfully 
 adjusted them, so that they appeared to be as his 
 father had left them, though he could easily pull 
 them out. At ten o'clock he retired as usual, but 
 the hour of meeting was one o'clock, for the young 
 rascals had come to the conclusion that their pur 
 pose could be better executed in the small hours 
 of the morning, when the farmer and his^ man 
 would probably be asleep. 
 
 Richard waited impatiently till he heard the 
 clock strike twelve. There had been no noise in the 
 chamber of Mr. Presby for some time, and he con 
 cluded that the old gentleman must be asleep. He 
 had gone to bed as usual, in order to remove 
 any suspicion in case he should find it necessary 
 to act the part of the sleep-walker again. He rose 
 and dressed himself for the expedition, using the 
 utmost care to avoid disturbing the slumbers of 
 the troublesome philosopher in the adjoining room. 
 
 Every thing worked to his entire satisfaction, 
 and he was not conscious that he had made the 
 slightest noise. The nails were removed from the 
 window ; but, though he had taken the precaution
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRA.XT. 
 
 to oil the sash where it slid up and down, it creaked 
 a little, in spite of all the care he could use. He was 
 satisfied that the noise could not wake Mr. Presby, 
 and he continued his operations. Leaving the win 
 dow open, as a somnambulist would naturally be 
 expected to do, he crept softly over the roof, and 
 reached the trellis without accident. 
 
 As yet there was no appearance of an interrup 
 tion ; but the first bar of the trellis, upon which 
 lie placed his foot, creaked and snapped. As the 
 noise, so far as he could see, attracted no notice, 
 he resumed his attempt, and reached the ground 
 without any further impediment, real or imaginary. 
 
 With stealthy step he retreated from the house 
 till there was no longer any danger of being dis 
 covered. Quickening his pace, he soon reached 
 the pier, and with the skiff boarded the Greyhound. 
 The night was certainly favorable for the execution 
 of dark deeds. The midnight assassin, the incen 
 diary, or the burglar would have rejoiced in its 
 darkness, its dense black clouds, and its fitful 
 winds. 
 
 Richard Grant still felt the cowhide of his enemy
 
 76 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 tingling upon his legs, and still felt its iron pier 
 cing his soul. The injury he had received a week 
 before, rankled in his bosom as it had the hour 
 after it had been inflicted. Neither the time that 
 had elapsed, nor the peril attending his present 
 enterprise, in any degree moderated the spirit of 
 revenge that burned in his soul. 
 
 As soon as he had secured the skiff at the buoy 
 to which the sail boat was moored, he opened the 
 door of the stern locker, and drew forth a small 
 bottle. He shook it to satisfy himself that the 
 contents were safe, and then restored it to the 
 place from which he had taken it. He then ex 
 amined his pockets to assure himself that some 
 other article necessary for his purpose was all right. 
 No mistakes or omissions had been made, and he 
 proceeded to hoist the mainsail. He then cast off 
 the moorings, and hoisted the jib. The wind was 
 too fresh to permit the Greyhound to carry aJl sail, 
 and even with what he had set, she put hct rail 
 under the water at the first forward impulse. 
 
 One less skilful and courageous than Ri hard 
 would have been tBrrified by the fierce wave* <*nd
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 77 
 
 the gloom of the night, especially if bound upon 
 an errand of evil and crime ; but he held the tiller 
 \vith a steady hand, and heeded not the spray that 
 broke upon the half- deck of the Greyhound. A 
 few moments in such a breeze were sufficient to 
 carry him over the river to the place of rendezvous. 
 The point was as familiar to him as the pier at 
 "Woodville ; and as soon as he could obtain a view 
 of the dark outline of the shore, he ran the boat 
 alongside the point, with as little difficulty as 
 though it had been broad daylight. 
 
 Sandy Brimblecom was not there, and an expres 
 sion of anger escaped from the lips of Richard, 
 when he found that the partner of his iniquitous 
 scheme might possibly fail him. He gave the sig 
 nal whistle with which they were in the habit of 
 calling each other ; but there was no reply. The 
 clocks on the churches in Whitestone struck one, 
 and Richard waited half an hour after he heard 
 them half an hour, which seemed like half a day 
 to him. 
 
 He was afraid that Sandy's heart had failed him, 
 or that his father had discovered him ; and Rich- 
 7*
 
 78 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 arc! decided to proceed alone with the enterprise. 
 Disgusted at the failure of his associate, he pushed 
 off from the point. As he did so, he discovered 
 another boat a short distance up the river, moving 
 off from the shore. He watched it for a moment, 
 till it disappeared in the gloom. It was not a 
 common thing to see sail boats out at such an 
 hour, and on such a night as this was ; but he 
 concluded that it was some gardener taking hia 
 produce to an early market, and he gave himself 
 no uneasiness. 
 
 Just as he lost sight of the boat, he heard the 
 familiar whistle of Sandy. Putting the Greyhound 
 about, he ran under the lee of the point, and his 
 friend leaped on board. Richard immediately put 
 off again, and shaped the course of the boat for 
 the inlet near the garden of " Old Batterbones." 
 
 " You are late, Sandy," said Richard, in reproach- 
 ful tone?. 
 
 " Can't help it. I got asleep, and didn't wake 
 up," replied Sandy, with a long gape. 
 
 " Asleep ! What did you go to sleep for ? I 
 haven't been asleep."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHARD GRANT. 7S 
 
 " I didn't mean to, but I was so sleepy I 
 couldn't help it." 
 
 " You came pretty near spoiling your share of 
 the fun. I had just cast off, and was going to put 
 the thing through alone." 
 
 " I wish you had," answered Sandy, in a tone 
 which did not please his companion any better 
 than the words themselves. 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 " It's a bad scrape we are getting 'nto, and I 
 vrish we were well out of it. If I hadn't promised 
 to go, I wouldn't have any thing to do with it." 
 
 " Old Batterbones licked you as well as me." 
 
 " I know that, and I should like to pay him off 
 for it ; but I don't believe it will do to go in quite 
 so steep as we are going." 
 
 " You are chicken-hearted, Sandy. I thought 
 you had more grit than that." 
 
 " I think I have got as much as you have, but 
 1 don't believe it will pay to rub your nose on a 
 grindstone. Your nose will get the worst of it." 
 
 " You can back out, if you want to," added 
 Richard, in an indifferent tone.
 
 80 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " I don't want to back out. I agreed to go, 
 and I am going, if I have to be hung for it. 1 
 only say, it is a bad scrape." 
 
 " No scrape at all, Sandy. I don't calculate tc 
 get found out." 
 
 " You didn't calculate to before, but you did ; 
 and Old Batterbones got more fun out of the 
 scrape than you did. Perhaps he will this time." 
 
 " If you are afraid, Sandy, back out, and we 
 will go home again." 
 
 " I'm not afraid : don't use that word to me 
 again, Dick. If I had been afraid, I shouldn't 
 come, of course." 
 
 By this time the Greyhound was off the little 
 inlet, near Mr. Batterman's garden, and, as a mat 
 ter of prudence, all conversation was suspended. 
 The boat shot into the inlet, and was made fast to 
 the same tree as on the former occasion. As the 
 business of these hopeful youths was not with the 
 melon patch, they took a different road this time. 
 
 They had gone but a short distance before the 
 rushing of a boat through the water was heard. 
 They paused and Richard saw a sail, which he
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRAXT. 81 
 
 believed he had seen before that night, pass by 
 the mouth of the inlet. He caught but a glance 
 of it, as it cut a tangent along the small circle of 
 his vision. 
 
 " I don't like the looks of that boat, Sandy," whis 
 pered Richard, as the sail disappeared in the gloom. 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " What is any one sailing about the river at this 
 
 4 
 
 time of night for ? " 
 
 " I don't know," added Sandy, who did not seem 
 to be at all alarmed at the appearance of the boat. 
 
 " I think I have seen her before to-night," con 
 tinued Richard. 
 
 " If you are afraid, we will both back out, and 
 then neither can twit the other." 
 
 " I'm not afraid ; come along. I've no notion of 
 backing out." And Richard moved on, followed 
 by his reluctant associate. 
 
 When they had ascended the hill, they carefully 
 walked all over the grounds to satisfy themselves 
 that the farmer and his man were not keeping 
 vigil over the melons ; but they could neither see 
 nor hear any thing that betokened the presence of
 
 82 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 a human being. Satisfied with this survey of the 
 ground, Richard led the way to the barn, where 
 he had received his terrible flagellation. The mem 
 ories of the place were not pleasant, and they 
 intensified the hatred he bore the owner of the 
 premises, and fanned the flame of vengeance that 
 was burning in his soul. 
 
 The barn was an old building^ and very much 
 out of repair. It contained the farmer's horses and 
 oxen, his wagons, his hay, and other produce. On 
 the side nearest to the river, some of the boards 
 had been forced partly off by the pressure of the 
 hay ; and against one of these places Richard sat 
 down upon the ground. 
 
 " Pull out some of the hay, Sandy," whispered 
 Richard, as he drew from his pocket the bottle 
 which he had taken from the locker of the boat. 
 
 Sandy hinted something about backing out again ; 
 but a sneer from Richard silenced him, and he 
 obeyed the order. While he was doing so, Rich 
 ard walked round the barn to satisfy himself that 
 no one was near They were alone, and the wicked 
 work proceeded.
 
 THE CGAOUr^T OF RICHARD GRAN T. 80 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 RICHAKD KINDLES A LITTLE FIRE. 
 
 SAXDY continued to pull out the hay from be 
 hind the board, till Richard, who, as engineei, 
 conducted the operations, directed him to suspend 
 his labors. The contents of the bottle were poured 
 upon the heap of loose hay. 
 
 " What's that, Dick ?" asked Sandy. 
 
 " Spirits of turpentine. I intend to make sure 
 work of it," answered Richard. 
 
 " I wouldn't use that stuff," added Sandy. 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " To tell the truth, Dick, I was in hopes the 
 fire wouldn't burn." 
 
 " I believe you are a f DO!, Sandy Brimblecom ' 
 Have you come clear over here, in the dead of the 
 night, to kindle a fire that will not burn ? " 
 
 " I don't like the idea of seating the barn on
 
 84 IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 fire," whispered Sandy, in an earnest tone. " What 
 do you suppose they will do with us, if we should 
 get found out ? " 
 
 " We shall not get found out." 
 
 " We shall be sent to the state prison at least 
 1 shall." 
 
 " I shall, if you are ; we shall both be in the 
 same boat, and if one goes down the other must." 
 
 " I don't know about that," said Sandy ; " your 
 father is rich, and he will get you off. I shall 
 have to stand all the racket." 
 
 " Shut up, Sandy ! I have gone too far to back 
 out now," added Richard, decidedly, as he took a 
 bunch of matches from his pocket. 
 
 " Hold on a moment, Dick, before it is too late. 
 It will be cheaper to do our thinking now than it 
 will be after the barn is burned down." 
 
 " I have done all the thinking I care to do 
 already. The die is cast, Sandy. I won't back 
 out now, and you shall not." 
 
 " It's too bad to burn up the horses and oxen 
 in the barn. That's cruel. If it wasn't for them, 
 I wouldn't say a word."
 
 THK CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 85 
 
 " Very well ; we will go round and turn out the 
 horses and oxen. I don't want to burn them any 
 more than you do." 
 
 " But the noise will wake the farmer and his 
 man." 
 
 " No, it won't. I have thought a great deal 
 about the animals, and it goes right against my 
 grain to hurt them, especially the horses." 
 
 " I don't want to burn the barn, any way." 
 
 " You are a coward and a fool, Sandy." 
 
 " It's easy enough for you to say so, when you 
 know your father has money enough to buy up 
 Old Batterbones, if we get into any scrape." 
 
 " Come, no more whining, Sandy ; I'm going to 
 get the horses and oxen out, and then I'm going 
 to burn the barn." 
 
 " I'm off, then." 
 
 " Very good ; but if I get into trouble, I will 
 blow on you." 
 
 This consideration staggered Sandy, and he con 
 cluded to stay and see the end of the wicked 
 enterprise. The house of Mr. Battcrman was at 
 a considerable distance from the barn, and there 
 8
 
 86 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 was but little danger that the humane policy of 
 the young incendiaries would expose them to any 
 additional peril. 
 
 Richard, followed by Sandy, entered the barn, 
 and turned all the animals loose. They drove 
 them into a lot where they could not get near the 
 fire. The only thing that had weighed upon the 
 mind of the broker's son, in the prosecution of* 
 his mad enterprise, was now removed, and he re 
 turned to the place where he had prepared the 
 materials for starting the conflagration. Again 
 Sandy stated his objections, and urged Richard to 
 abandon the scheme ; but the latter, without any 
 reply to this remonstrance, drew a card of matches 
 across a stone, and applied the burning mass to 
 the hay which had been saturated with turpentine. 
 
 The heap of combustible matter suddenly blazed 
 ap, lighting all the fields around them. The work 
 had been surely done, and it was too late for Sandy 
 to urge any more of his objections. 
 
 " Come, Sandy, the work is done. Now use 
 your legs," said Richard, as he started at the top of 
 his speed towards the inlet where the Greyhound lay.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 87 
 
 Sandy's legs did not fail him on this emergency, 
 for he soon outstripped his companion. Iney had 
 gone but a few rods, when both were appalled at 
 the discovery of&two men, who were running towards 
 the fire with all their might which was not say 
 ing much, for both of them seemed to be old and 
 stiff, and incapable of making very good time even 
 on so pressing an emergency as the present. 
 
 The guilty boys were filled with terror. The 
 shock was so great that it seemed to deprive them 
 of their strength, and they found their legs giving 
 out under them. 
 
 " We ' are caught, Dick," gasped Sandy, when 
 he could regain breath enough to speak. 
 
 " No, we are not ; come along. Don't stop 
 here," answered Richard, who was beginning to 
 recover his self-possession. 
 
 They ran as fast as their weakened limbs would 
 permit, till they reached the bank of the river. 
 Richard jumped into the boat and hoisted the sails, 
 while Sandy cast off the painter, and they were 
 soon standing out from the shore before the fresh 
 breeze. Neither of them spoke for some minutes.
 
 88 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 for neither of them had breath enough left in his 
 body to do so. 
 
 ' The fire don't burn," said Richard, when the 
 boat had gone far enough to enable him to see 
 over the high bank of the river. 
 
 " Don't it ? " asked Sandy, hoarsely, for the ter 
 ror and exhaustion of the awful moments through 
 which he had just passed seemed to have choked 
 up his throat, and deprived him of his voice. 
 
 " No ; it is as dark up there as it was before 
 we landed." 
 
 " I am glad of it," gasped Sandy, who was be 
 ginning to breathe a little easier. 
 
 " I'm not," added Richard, firmly. " We shall 
 only have the job to do over again." 
 
 " If you ever catch me in such a scrape as this 
 again, you may let me know it when you do." 
 
 " You might as well have the game as the 
 name." 
 
 " I don't know about that. I am glad the barn 
 didn't burn. Are you sure the fire has gone out ? " 
 
 " No doubt of it. There isn't enough to light 
 your cigar "
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHARD GRANT. 99 
 
 " I suppose those men put it out. "Who do you 
 think they were ? " 
 
 " 1 don't know, and I don't care. I wish they 
 had been somewhere else. They have spoiled my 
 night's work." 
 
 " I am glad they have ; and I thank them with 
 all my heart for what they have done." 
 
 " I don't ; you might as well be hung for an 
 old sheep as a lamb. If we are caught it will be 
 all the same with us as though we had burned 
 the barn." 
 
 "Who do you suppose the men were?" 
 
 " I haven't the least idea. I don't care." 
 
 " Yes, you do care, Dick. What's the use of 
 talking in that way ? You don't want to be found 
 out any more than I do." 
 
 ;t I know that, but we are not found out ; and 
 that isn't all we shall not be." 
 
 " I should like to be satisfied on that point." 
 
 " The men didn't take any notice at all of us, 
 and I am certain they did not see us." 
 
 *' They couldn't help seeing us, Dick. The fire 
 8*
 
 yO IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 lit up the whole field, so that it was as light as 
 broad day." 
 
 " Suppose they did see us ; they couldn't tell 
 who we were. Keep a stiff upper lip, Sandy, acd 
 it will be all right." 
 
 " I can only hope for the best, but I shall be 
 scared at my own shadow for a month to come," 
 added Sandy, in whose nature a vein of candor 
 appeared to be suddenly developed, for he was not 
 in the habit of acknowledging that he was afraid 
 of any thing. 
 
 " You don't talk a bit like Sandy Brimblecom," 
 sneered Richard ; " and you act more like an old 
 woman than a fellow of any spunk." 
 
 " Humph ! I'll bet you are as scared as I am, 
 only you won't own it." 
 
 " I don't know what fear means, Sandy." 
 
 " O, you can brag ; but when a fellow can go 
 and set a man's barn afire, without wincing, he's 
 worse than I am ; that's all I've got to say." 
 
 " Worse than you are ! " said Richard. *' Didn't 
 you agree to the whole thing ? Didn't you go in
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 91 
 
 for paying off Old Batterbones ? Didn't you come 
 down here to burn the barn \vith me?" 
 
 " I did, but I didn't want to come." 
 
 " What did you come for, then ? " 
 
 " Because I agreed to come." 
 
 " You're not the fellow I took you to be. You 
 joined me in the affair, and then, at the last mo 
 ment, you begin to whine like a sick monkey." 
 
 " I'm not so far gone that I can burn a man's 
 barn without feeling it." 
 
 " You haven't got the pluck of a mosquito." 
 
 " You've said about enough on that tack, Dick 
 Grant," replied Sandy, who did not relish the re 
 flections cast upon his courage. 
 
 " I shall say what I think best." 
 
 " No, you won't ! I'm sorry for what I've done, 
 and I'm willing to own it ; but I won't take any 
 sauce from you or any other fellow." 
 
 " You can talk big enough," sneered Richard 
 
 " Shut up, or I'll bat you over the head." 
 
 " Humph ! " 
 
 " Just put me ashore, Dick Grant, and you and 
 I will part company."
 
 92 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " I'm willing." 
 
 Both boys felt that enough had been said, and 
 the conversation was discontinued by mutual con 
 sent. Richard, notwithstanding his bravado, waa 
 no better satisfied with himself than Sandy. Though 
 he had spoken of " doing the job over again," ho 
 had not the slightest idea of repeating the experi 
 ment. The shock which the discovery of the two 
 men had given him, was too much even for his 
 strong nerves ; and though he was not willing to 
 confess it, he was sorry for what he had done. 
 The terror of being found out had damped the 
 spirit of revenge. The excitement of the affair had 
 passed away, and like his companion in wicked 
 ness, visions of public trial, of the house of cor 
 rection, or the state prison, began to flit before him. 
 
 He was not sorry that the barn had been saved 
 from destruction ; and the only pleasant reflection 
 in connection with the whole transaction was, that 
 he had insisted upon saving the horses and the 
 oxen. It was with Richard as it is with alt who 
 commit crimes. They are led on by the spirit of 
 revenge, or some other strong motive. There is a
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 9i 
 
 kind of excitement which urges them on till the 
 wicked deed is committed. Then the criminal ex 
 citement subsides ; the hour of reflection comes, 
 burdened also with the fear of discovery. To some 
 extent, crime is its own punishment ; at least, it 
 is so with those who have not become hardened 
 in iniquity. 
 
 Richard brought the Greyhound up to the point 
 tvhere he had taken Sandy on board. He did not 
 like to part with him in anger, for, to a certain 
 extent, he sympathized with him in his penitential 
 confession. But, more than this, he was afraid 
 Sandy might revenge himself upon him for the 
 reproaches he had uttered. 
 
 " Let 's not quarrel, Sandy," said Richard, as he 
 laid the boat alongside the landing place. 
 
 " I don't want to quarrel, but I won't be picked 
 upon by you," replied Sandy, with spirit. 
 
 " I'll take it all back. Let's be friends again. 
 We have failed to do what we intended, and per 
 haps it will be just as well for us." 
 
 " I'm glad you are coming to your senses. Do 
 rou mean to try it again ? "
 
 94 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 " We won't burn the barn, Sandy, but we must 
 pay off Old Batterbones in some other way." 
 
 " I'll do it. I'll hook his apples, pull out the 
 linchpins of his wagon, throw a dead cat into his 
 well, or any thing of that sort, with you, but I 
 won't attempt to burn any man's barn again. No, 
 never ! " 
 
 " We'll fix him yet, Sandy. When shall I see 
 you again ? " 
 
 " I shall be round the wharf to-morrow." 
 
 " I'll see you there. Good night to you, Sandy." 
 
 " Good night, Dick." 
 
 Boys don't usually bid each other good night 
 after they have been doing wicked deeds ; and 
 Richard's parting salutation was a peace-offering, 
 rather than the kindly wish of a friend. 
 
 Sandy made his way up to Whitestone, and 
 Richard again pushed off upon the troubled 
 waters of the Hudson. The Greyhound leaped over 
 the waves as though she was in haste to get out 
 of the disgraceful business in which she had been 
 employed. Richard heard the clocks in Whitestono
 
 THE CONQUEST OP BICHARD GEA.NT. 95 
 
 striking three, as he grappled his moorings and 
 made fast to them. 
 
 He landed from the skiff, and, like a thief in 
 the night, stole up to his father's house. Before 
 he attempted to ascend the trellis, he pulled off 
 his boots, and fastening them together with his 
 handkerchief, slung them around his neck. He 
 reached the roof of the conservatory without noise, 
 and then, to his utter consternation, discovered a 
 light in Mr. Presby's room. But the precaution 
 he had taken in the removal of his boots enabled 
 him to reach his chamber window without pro 
 ducing a sound. Then, to his astonishment and 
 terror, he found that the window he had left open 
 was closed. 
 
 Some one had been there.
 
 96 IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 RICHARD BEHOLDS HOW GREAT A MATTER A LIT 
 TLE FIRE KINDLETH. 
 
 THE window of the chamber was not fastened, 
 and when Richard gained admission, he found the 
 door locked as he had left it. The window must 
 therefore have been closed from the outside ; but this 
 did not, seem probable, and he came to the con 
 clusion that the sash had dropped of itself. This 
 was a very comforting reflection, and it removed 
 many of the doubts and fears which disturbed 
 him. 
 
 Congratulating himself upon his escape from 
 manifold perils by land and water, Richard un 
 dressed himself and went to bed. But tired as he 
 was, he could not go to sleep for some time. His 
 brain was busy calculating the chances of detection, 
 and devising schemes to avert suspicion if any
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 97 
 
 should be fastened upon him. Nature triumphed 
 at last, and he went to sleep. 
 
 Late the next morning, when he went down stairs, 
 he was pale and haggard. Somewhat to his sur 
 prise., he found that his father had not gone to the 
 city as usual. Every body looked sober, and Mr. 
 Grant's face wore a very stern and troubled expres 
 sion. Richard ate his breakfast in silence, won 
 dering all the time what so many serious and averted 
 faces portended. 
 
 " You were out again last night, Richard," said 
 his father, when they met in the sitting room at a 
 later hour. 
 
 " No, sir, not that I am aware of," replied Rich 
 ard, with as much self-possession as he could call 
 to his aid, though his heart was leaping with fear 
 and anxiety. 
 
 " If you had been out, shouldn't you have been 
 aware of it ? " asked his father, fixing a penetrating 
 gaze upon him. 
 
 " I don't know. I only judge by what happened 
 the other night," answered Richard, who had deter 
 mined to " run " the sleep-walking expedient again. 
 9
 
 98 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " You mean by that you got up in your sleep 
 if you got up at all ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " You were entirely unconscious when you got 
 up the other night and went off in the Greyhound 
 were you ? " 
 
 " Of course I was." 
 
 A faint smile played upon the lips of Mr. Grant, 
 while the faces of uncle Obed and Mr. Presby wore 
 a decidedly comical expression. Though Richard 
 could not see " where the laugh came in," he was 
 conscious that he had placed himself in a ludicrous 
 attitude. 
 
 " And you were asleep last night when you went 
 out were you ? " continued Mr. Grant. 
 
 " If I went out, I suppose I was," replied Richard, 
 going to the window and looking out, thus turning 
 his back to those in the room. 
 
 He could not bear the penetrating gaze of his 
 father, and the quizzing glances of Mr. Presby and 
 uncle Obed were utterly insupportable. 
 
 " Mr. Presby, you have devoted considerable 
 attention to tie phenomena of sleep-walking,"
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 99 
 
 added uncle Obcd. " What do you think of this 
 case ? " 
 
 " I think it is the most remarkable one on 
 record," replied the philosopher, whose smile had 
 grown into a broad grin. " Richard, I am deeply 
 interested in the investigation of this matter, and 
 I want to ask you a few questions. Will you 
 oblige me by answering them ? " 
 
 " I will if I can," said Richard, rather doggedly, 
 for he was fully satisfied, by this time, that the 
 old gentleman was quizzing him. 
 
 " If you can, then, will you be kind enough to 
 tell me whether Sandy Brimblecom was asleep or 
 not, when he joined you in the boat at the point 
 below Whitestone ? " 
 
 " Who ? Sandy joined me ? " stammered Richard, 
 staggered by this home thrust of the friend of the 
 family. 
 
 " Yes ; I am very anxious to know whether there 
 is a s}Tnpathy between sleep-walkers which draws 
 them together, even though separated by miles of 
 space." 
 
 Richard made no reply ; he had none to make.
 
 100 IN SCHOOL AXD OUT, OK 
 
 He had no idea how much his tormentors knew of 
 the events of the night. 
 
 " You don't answer, my boy. I have been tho 
 butt of your uncle for the last week on account of 
 my devotion to the cause of science. I have stud 
 ied your case very thoroughly, and I may want to 
 make a report of it to the scientific associations." 
 
 " Why don't you answer him, Dick ? " added 
 uncle Obed, who, notwithstanding the serious char 
 acter of the matter, could not restrain his laughter at 
 the ludicrous side of the question. 
 
 " I don't care about your making fun of me," 
 replied the poor somnambulist. 
 
 " My dear boy, this is a scientific, a physiological 
 investigation. You pulled out the nails which your 
 father had driven into the window ; you skulked 
 away from the house ; you went down to your boat, 
 got under way in a squally, dark night, and met 
 another sleep-walker on the other side of the river; 
 I presume he was asleep, for you do not say to the 
 contrary ; you sailed down the river to a certain 
 inlet ; you landed, and went up to Mr. Batterman's 
 barn ; you removed the horses and oxen from it ;
 
 THE CONQUEST OF BICHAKD GKANT. 101 
 
 you poured turpentine upon a bunch of loose hay 
 prepared for the purpose ; you lighted your matches 
 and set fire to it ; and all the while you were fast 
 asleep. And you returned home and went to bed 
 again without waking. Really, my dear boy, this is 
 tne most astonishing case of somnambulism on 
 record. I have vainly looked over my books for 
 a parallel instance. Can you tell me what your 
 dreams were last night ? Did you dream any thing 
 ' of this kind ? " 
 
 Richard was filled with dismay at this recital of 
 the events of the night. The mysterious boat he had 
 twice seen was the only explanation of the minute 
 ness of Mr. Presby's details that suggested itself to 
 his mind. 
 
 " You talked quite rationally in your sleep, which 
 is a new development in somnambulism. But, after 
 all," continued the devotee of science, " the phe 
 nomena of last night were not near so remarkable as 
 those of the former occasion. By the way, my deaf 
 boy, do sleep-walkers have any particular fondness 
 for watermelons ? " 
 
 Uncle Obed laughed outright at this sally, and 
 9*
 
 102 IN SCHOOL A.ND OUT, OB 
 
 even Mr. Grant, wounded as his paternal heart waa 
 by the discovery, could not help smiling, though he 
 felt more like weeping than laughing. 
 
 " You are silent, my dear boy," resumed Mr. 
 Presby. " This is an important physiological in 
 quiry, and you would enlarge the sphere of human 
 knowledge of this interesting subject, if you would 
 answer me." 
 
 Richard was inclined to get into a passion, but 
 the consciousness of his guilt restrained him, and 
 he listened in silence to the satirical remarks of 
 the old gentleman. 
 
 " But the most astounding fact of all is, that you 
 could take such an unmerciful flogging as Mr. 
 Batterman gave you without waking up," contin 
 ued the inquisitor. " Perhaps you did wake under 
 this cruel infliction, but went to sleep again when 
 the castigation was over. Can you inform me on 
 this point ? " 
 
 " You have made fun enough of me," replied 
 Richard ; but his words were very tame, consider 
 ing the amount of provocation he had endured. 
 
 " Were you asleep, Richard, on these two nights
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHABD GRANT. 103 
 
 when you have been prowling about the neighbor' 
 hood ? " demanded hi? father, sternly. 
 
 " No, sir, I was not," said Richard, to whom the 
 ridicule of Mr. Presby and uncle Obed was more 
 terrible than any punishment he could receive for 
 his misdeeds. 
 
 " I am glad to see you have some honesty left 
 in your composition. You acknowledge the decep 
 tion, and we will let the farce end here. You 
 have become a thief and a midnight incendiary. 
 I have been weak and indulgent towards you. 
 My eyes are opened, and I shall pursue a different 
 course." 
 
 Mr. Grant's lip trembled with emotion as he 
 spoke. Mr. Presby and uncle Obed suddenly be 
 came very serious, and it was plain to the culprit 
 that the farce had really ended. 
 
 " Richard, I knew you were wild, and even disso 
 lute, but I did not think you would steal," added 
 Mr. Grant, with deep feeling. 
 
 " It was only for fun, father," pleaded Richard. 
 
 " Do you practise the trade of the incendiaiy for 
 fun ? " asked his father, sternly.
 
 104 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " That was only because Mr. Batterman flogged 
 me. He had no business to do that." 
 
 " And so you would burn his barn ? " 
 
 "I didn't burn it." 
 
 " It would have burned to the ground, if Mr. 
 Presby and Ben had not put the fire out. I have let 
 my friend expose you in his own way, because the 
 trouble he has taken reveals to me your true char 
 acter. You are worse than your dissolute com 
 panions. Richard, you have become a villain ! " 
 
 Mr. Grant rose from his chair and walked away 
 to hide the tears which this sad revelation of his 
 son's character drew from his eyes. 
 
 " He is not so bad as he might be," interposed 
 Mr. Presby. " Remember that he saved the ani 
 mals in the barn." 
 
 " The record is black even with this redeeming 
 line," said Mr. Grant. " I would rather follow my 
 son to his grave than have him become such a wretch 
 as you are, Richard. Shall I let you take the 
 consequences of your crime ? " 
 
 "What consequences, father? " asked Richard, with 
 a degree of humility he had never before exhibited
 
 THE CONQtEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 105 
 
 " Are you a simpleton ? Don't you know the 
 penalty of your crime ? " 
 
 " We didn't burn the barn." 
 
 " In the eye of the law you are just t.s guilty as 
 though the barn had burned to the ground. If con 
 victed, you would be sent to the state prison. I 
 have made up my mind what to do with you," 
 said Mr. Grant, as he walked out of the room, for 
 his emotions would no longer permit him to re 
 main. 
 
 " You have got into a bad scrape, Dick," added 
 uncle Obed, as he shook his head, and followed 
 his brother, leaving the culprit alone with Mr. 
 Presby. 
 
 " He will not let them send me to the state 
 prison ? " said Richard, fearful that his father might 
 have abandoned all hope of redeeming him from 
 the error of his ways. 
 
 " You have been a very bad boy," replied Mr. 
 Presby. 
 
 "I am very sorry for it, and I mean to do 
 better." 
 
 " I hope you will, my dear boy. Your fa.ther
 
 106 IN SCHOOL AXD OUT, OB 
 
 nas suffered terribly since I returned, and poor 
 Bertha has dene nothing but weep for the last two 
 hours. You are ruining yourself and wounding 
 the hearts of your friends more than words can 
 describe." 
 
 "I will try to do better." 
 
 " Your father will not trust you again." 
 
 " What is he going to do ? " 
 
 " He will inform you himself," replied Mr. 
 Presby, as he withdrew from the room. 
 
 Richard was alone with his own thoughts and 
 fears. He felt as though his career had reached 
 its close, though he could not imagine what terri 
 ble thing his father intended to do. He was really 
 sorry for what he had done, whether his sorrow 
 was caused by a genuine feeling that he had done 
 wrong, or by the fear of punishment. 
 
 His mind was in a confused state ; the past with 
 its sorrows, and the future with its terrors, whirled 
 through his brain. He wanted time for reflection, 
 and leaving the house, he walked down to the pier 
 to deliberate upon the situation. 
 
 Ben was there, and Richard began to question him,
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 107 
 
 for Mr. Presby had intimated that the boatman was 
 with him the night before. From him he learned 
 all the facts in regard to their movements. It ap 
 peared that the old gentleman had heard Richard 
 when he opened the window, and had watched him 
 closely, fully satisfied, however, that he was asleep. 
 
 When Mr. Presby, from the roof of the conser 
 vatory, had noted the direction he took, he had 
 closed the window, and called the boatman to as 
 sist him. They had followed him in the large sail 
 boat, and landed near the point where Sandy w r as 
 taken on board the Greyhound. By this time, 
 Ben's original idea that llichard was wide awake 
 was adopted by Mr. Presby. By the exercise of 
 great skill and caution, they had kept near the 
 boys, and had put out the fire almost as soon as it 
 was kindled. 
 
 While they were still on the ground, Mr. Bat- 
 terman, who had been awakened by the bright 
 light of the burning hay, made his appearance. 
 He found the two old men in the very act of put 
 ting out the fire. Mr. Presby smothered the 
 flames by throwing his great-coat upon it.
 
 108 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 " Now, Mr. Richard," continued the boatman, 
 " Mr. Fresby saved you. Pie was acquainted with 
 Batterman, and has a mortgage on his farm. The 
 farmer suspected who had attempted to burn his 
 building ; he laid it to you at once, and told us 
 all about the scrape when you stole the melons. 
 You don't know how mad he was, Mr. Richard. 
 But Mr. Presby made it all right with him, and 
 he promised not to prosecute. Mr. Richard, you 
 had better not walk in your sleep any more." 
 
 Richard did not like this last remark, and he 
 walked down the pier. The state prison was only 
 a bugbear then ; but his father meant to do some 
 thing. He was about to get into his skiff to 
 visit the Greyhound when Ben hailed him. 
 
 " My orders are, not to let you have any of the 
 boats," said he. 
 
 The new order of things had begun, and he 
 returned to the house. His father was in the 
 sitting room when he entered. 
 
 " Richard," said Mr. Grant, " to-morrow you 
 will leave home for some months. I have decided
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 109 
 
 to place you in a boarding school, where you 
 will be under the eye of one who is competent to 
 manage you." 
 
 This was the great matter which a little fire 
 
 had kindled. 
 
 10
 
 110 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 BICHARD GOES TO THE TUNBROOK MILITARY 
 INSTITUTE. 
 
 RICHARD had several times before been threat- 
 ened with a residence at a boarding school. Most 
 of his education had been obtained at home, under 
 the superintendence of tutors, and special teachers 
 in various branches. He had been under little or 
 no restraint ; and the consequence was, that his 
 mental discipline had been very imperfect, and his 
 stock of knowledge was small, considering the op 
 portunities he had enjoyed. 
 
 His father had long been conscious of his de 
 ficiencies, and proposed to send him to a boarding 
 school, for the benefit of its discipline ; but Rich 
 ard was so averse to the idea, that his father had 
 from time to time postponed his departure. When 
 Mr. Grant saw his son associating with bad boys
 
 THE CONQUEST OF HICHAM) GRANT. Ill 
 
 he again proposed to send him, and had actually 
 sought out a suitable place for him ; but his own 
 financial trials and troubles had prevented him 
 from executing his purpose. 
 
 If Richard's education had failed to develop his 
 intellect in an adequate degree, it had built up a 
 sound and vigorous constitution. Riding on horse 
 back, sailing and rowing, had been pastimes for 
 which he had sacrificed intellectual culture. But 
 there was still time to remedy this deficiency, for 
 the youth was hardly sixteen. 
 
 The establishment which Mr. Grant had selected 
 for the future residence of his son was the Tunbrook 
 Military Institute, under the superintendence of 
 Colonel Brockridge. This place had been chosen, 
 not because it was a military institution, but be 
 cause its principal was a thorough disciplinarian. 
 He had the reputation of being a just and fair 
 man, and was very popular with boys of strong 
 constitution and decisive temperaments. No " milk- 
 and-water " boys were ever sent to him ; or, if they 
 were, they soon left; the Institute, or became vigor, 
 ous and decided in their habits.
 
 112 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 Colonel Erockridge had been in the army, though 
 his title was won in the militia. He was a thor 
 ough teacher, and was conscientious and faithful 
 in the discharge of his duties to those who were 
 intrusted to his care. He was a " positive man," 
 and no fear of what the father or mother would 
 say or do ever induced him to alter his plans, or 
 change his purposes. 
 
 Though the Institute was conducted on military 
 principles, it was not peculiarly the school of the 
 soldier. The principal believed in discipline ; this 
 was his hobby ; and he believed that he could 
 best secure system and order by adopting military 
 routine. His success justified his theory. He had 
 more applicants than he had places. 
 
 Richard knew all about the Tunbrook Military 
 Institute. He had carefully read its circular, and 
 its rules and regulations. They did not suit him. 
 He was not a devotee of discipline, in its applica 
 tion to himself. He was very impatient of restraint, 
 as the reader has already seen, and he did not like 
 the idea of being sent to this Institute. 
 
 When his father had given him his final sentence,
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. lib 
 
 he retired to his chamber. The shame which at 
 tended the discovery of his guilt still rested heavily 
 upon him, and he was in a more humble and 
 tractable mood than usual. Under ordinary circum 
 stances he would have rebelled against the decision 
 of his father. He would have frightened his sister 
 by threatening to run away to sea. It is true, this 
 thought occurred to him on the present occasion ; 
 but Ben had told him enough about the life of a 
 sailor to convince him that he should not improve 
 his condition by such a course. 
 
 There seemed to be no alternative but passive 
 obedience. He did not want to go, but he felt 
 that his father must certainly conquer if he attempted 
 to resist. He had always had his own way to a 
 very great extent. He had always been a conqueror 
 himself at least he felt so, and he could not en 
 dure the thought of being compelled to yield im 
 plicit obedience to any person. 
 
 At this time Richard's thoughts took a peculiar 
 
 turn. The shame he endured, the reproaches that 
 
 had been heaped upon him, caused him to fee] 
 
 that there was something wanting in his character. 
 
 10*
 
 114 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 The path in which he had been travelling, for the 
 first time in his life seemed to lead to destruction. 
 When he considered that he had been detected in 
 the act of stealing, and of setting fire to a barn, 
 and in practising a gross and wicked deception, he 
 felt that his road was down hill ; that he should 
 become a dissolute and worthless man. 
 
 He was sitting on the stool of repentance. From 
 a prudential penitence he had arrived at a genu 
 ine one. Something must be done. There was 
 something to be conquered. There was a harder 
 battle before him than any he had yet fought. 
 He was master of the boats, of the horses, of the 
 servants, and even of his companions at White- 
 stone ; but there was one whom he had never 
 conquered one that held him in leading-strings, 
 and was pulling him down to ruin and destruction. 
 
 He must conquer himself. 
 
 Richard had had such thoughts as these before, 
 but they had never seemed so substantial as now. 
 He felt the necessity of reforming his life and 
 character of conquering himself, his greatest en 
 emy. As he looked upon his dissolute course, upon
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHA.BD GRANT. 115 
 
 the events of the preceding night, and its fellow a 
 week before, he was disgusted with himself, and 
 wondered how he could so easily embrace his be 
 setting sin. 
 
 While he was engaged in these reflections, hia 
 sister Bertha entered his chamber. She had heard 
 of the sentence, and she had come to comfort him. 
 Her eyes were still red with weeping, for she had 
 almost lost hope of the reform of her brother. 
 
 " I have been trying to see you for the last two 
 hours," said she, as she sat down by his side. 
 
 " Don't cry any more, Berty," said he, with un 
 wonted tenderness. 
 
 " I will try not to do so, Richard. Father saya 
 you are going away to-morrow." 
 
 " Yes, Berty, 1 suppose I am," replied he, with 
 an appearance of resignation. 
 " I shall miss you very much." 
 " It will be a good miss won't it ? " 
 " Why, Richard ! You don't think so do you?" 
 " Well, I have been a kind of nuisance to you." 
 " No, Richard ; don't say that." 
 " I have been in all sorts of scrapes."
 
 116 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " I would a great deal rather have you stay at 
 home, and and " 
 
 " And be a good boy," added Richard. 
 
 " That's what I mean, Richard." 
 
 " Berty, I think I have sowed all my wild oats 
 now." 
 
 " I hope so." 
 
 " I suppose I have been a very bad boy," said 
 he, with a kind of deprecating smile, as though 
 he did not believe more than one half he said. 
 
 " It was all those bad boys you went with ; if 
 it hadn't been for them, you would have done very 
 well. That Sandy Brimblecom hasn't done you 
 any good." 
 
 " I hope I haven't done him any hurt, Berty. I 
 won't be mean, when I get into trouble. I don't 
 think Sandy is any worse than I am. I don'l 
 know but that he is a little better. I suppose he 
 and I must part company now." 
 
 " It will be all for the best." 
 
 " Berty, I am off to-morrow. I have given you 
 a great deal of trouble. I mean to do better. I 
 am going to turn, over a new leaf."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 
 
 " O, I hope so, Richard ! " 
 
 " I mean so, this tune." 
 
 " I am so glad ! " 
 
 ; ' Don't you think father will let me stay &t 
 home, if I do well ? " 
 
 " Perhaps he will." 
 
 " I don't like the idea of being put into a 
 strait jacket, and tied to a bell rope." 
 
 " It would be hard for you." 
 
 " I can't stand it, any how. I have made up 
 my mind to be a saint. I intend to keep out of 
 all scrapes, and behave with perfect propriety all 
 the time, night and day." 
 
 " I hope you are not jesting, Richard," said 
 Bertha, who did not like the facetious language 
 with which he clothed his resolutions. 
 
 " I'm in earnest. I mean every word I say. I 
 solemnly promise you that I will be a pattern of 
 propriety ; but I don't like the Tunbrook Military 
 Institute. 1 don't like the idea of being tied down 
 to Colonel Brockridge's little finger ; of being 
 drummed and fifed here and there ; and of reciting 
 a Latin lesson at. six o'clock in the morning, after
 
 118 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 an hour's drill on the parade ground. Berty, to 
 tell you the truth, I don't believe I shall be able 
 to keep my good resolutions, if I am to be tied to 
 i bell rope, or have to move by the tap of a drum." 
 
 " I hope you will." 
 
 " If I could stay at home, and have my pony 
 and my boat, I should do first rate." 
 
 Whatever the experienced reader may think of 
 Richard's sincerity, he was uttering an honest opin 
 ion. He sincerely feared that his courage would 
 not be equal to the work of submitting to the dis 
 cipline of Tunbrook, and conquering himself, at one 
 and the same time. Tunbrook and Colonel Brock- 
 ridge seemed to be formidable obstacles in the 
 path of reform. 
 
 " You would soon get used to the discipline of 
 the Institute," suggested Bertha. 
 
 " I might get used to it as the old man's horse 
 got used to living upon shavings when he died. 
 If I go, I shall try to submit ; but I don't want 
 to go." 
 
 " I don't see how it can be avoided. Father is 
 determined that you shall go."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHAKD GBANT. 119 
 
 " "ou can save me from this strait jacket, if 
 you will, Berty." 
 
 "What can I do, Richard?" 
 
 " Mr. Presby will do any thing you ask him to 
 do. You can tell him that you think it would 
 injure me to be sent to Tunbrook. Then he can 
 talk with father about it ; and father will do any 
 thing that Mr. Presby wishes." 
 
 Bertha promised to speak to Mr. Presby about 
 the matter, and she did so at once ; but instead 
 of Bertha convincing him that it would injure 
 Richard to be sent to the Military School, he con 
 vinced her that it would be the best thing in the 
 world for him. 
 
 " I am afraid I spoiled my own children by over 
 indulgence, and I cannot counsel your father to do 
 the same thing," said the old gentleman, with deep 
 feeling. 
 
 Bertha returned to her brother with his answer. 
 Richaid was not angry, as she feared he would 
 be, and this was a very hopeful sign. But he 
 went over his argument against strait jackets, belJ 
 ropes, and drums and fifes, once more, and then
 
 120 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 proposed that he should be put on probation foi 
 one or two mouths ; and if he did any thing wrong, 
 he would submit without a murmur. 
 
 Bertha went to Mr. Presby again, and was so 
 far successful that the old gentleman agreed to 
 speak with Mr. Grant in the evening. He kept 
 his promise, but the father carried a stronger argu 
 ment than the friend of the family. Richard was 
 doomed to go to the Military Institute, and the 
 fact was patent to him before he retired. He felt 
 as though he wanted to submit, but the uncon- 
 quercd enemy that had so often led him astray 
 was rebellion. 
 
 He did not sleep well that night. He was ex 
 cited by the prospect before him. His good reso 
 lutions seemed to be very shaky, and he found 
 himself running away from them. When he heard 
 the clock strike twelve, he actually jumped out of 
 bed, under a sudden impulse, fully resolved to run 
 away and go to sea. He thought he would 'take 
 the Greyhound, and make his way down to the city 
 and ship the next day. He put on a portion o/ 
 his clothes, 'inder the influence of this impulse.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 121 
 
 " This would be becoming a saint with a ven 
 geance ! " said he to himself, as he threw off hia 
 clothes, and got into bed again. " I told Bertha I 
 would try to submit, and I will." 
 
 This was the first decided advantage which Rich 
 ard had gained over his great enemy ; but the 
 battle was a mere skirmish with the outposts of 
 the potent foe. It was a victory, however, and it 
 strengthened him. It improved the morale of hia 
 fighting element. 
 
 He had resisted temptation, and angels minis 
 tered unto him. While they ministered, peace came, 
 and he fell asleep. 
 
 At an early hour in the morning he was called 
 by his father. With the assistance of Bertha he 
 packed his trunk and prepared himself for the 
 journey. He was sad, but submissive. At nine 
 o clock, having bid adieu to all his friends, and 
 taken a sorrowful survey of Woodville, he and his 
 father were driven down to the railroad station. 
 
 Before night they reached Tunbiook, and Rich 
 ard was introduced to the terrible Colonel Brock- 
 ridge. He was a little man of fifty, with great 
 11
 
 122 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 bushy red whiskers, whose whole face seemed to 
 be eclipsed by the wonderful sharpness of his eyes. 
 He shook hands with Richard, spoke to him very 
 kindly, and hoped they should be good friends. 
 The new recruit was shown to his quarters, as his 
 room was called, and Mr. Grant took his leave. 
 Richard felt that he was alone with the future.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRAXT. 123 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 HI CHARD LEARNS THE MEANING OF BIGHT 
 ABOUT FACE. 
 
 THE apartment to which Richard was shown 
 tvas called " Barrack B." There were ten rooms 
 of this kind, known by the first ten letters of the 
 alphabet, omitting J. Each barrack contained 
 twenty narrow iron bedsteads, and no two boys 
 were allowed to occupy the same bed. At the 
 head of each barrack, there was an alcove large 
 enough to contain the bed of the assistant teacher, 
 who had charge of the pupils in the room. This 
 apartment of the instructor was screened from the 
 view of the boys by a curtain, so that he could 
 see without being seen, when he desired to do so. 
 
 There was a small closet in the wall between 
 every two beds, for the use of the boys, and 
 Richard M as directed to transfer the contents of liifl
 
 124 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 trunk to this receptacle, by Mr. Gault, the as 
 sistant teacher in charge of Barrack B. Richard 
 opened the trunk, and then sat down upon the 
 bed to wait until the instructor should retire, for 
 he did not care to exhibit his wardrobe to a 
 stranger. 
 
 " Proceed, if you please," said Mr. Gault. 
 
 " I think I will do this business by myself," 
 replied Richard. 
 
 " According to a rule of the Institute, the ward 
 robe of each pupil must be inspected," said the 
 teacher. 
 
 " Inspected ? " asked the recruit. " What for ? " 
 
 " To see that no improper articles are brought 
 in." 
 
 " I would rather not," added Richard. 
 
 " The rule is imperative," said Mr. Gault, de 
 cidedly. 
 
 The strait jacket had already begun to oppress 
 the male heir of "Woodville, and he was disposed 
 to resent the indignity, as he deemed it ; but al 
 most the last words of Bertha had been an in 
 junction to observe the rules of the school, how-
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 125 
 
 ever distasteful they might be. Reluctantly, and 
 with the feeling that he was sacrificing his inde 
 pendence, Richard transferred his clothing to the 
 closet assigned to him. Mr. Gault carefully watched 
 the proceeding, and confiscated several articles which 
 were declared to be contraband, among which were 
 some cakes and other sweetmeats, prepared by 
 Bertha, and several yellow-covered novels he had 
 purchased in Whitestone. 
 
 " Can't I have those things ? " asked Richard. 
 
 " No, sir ; no boy belonging to the Institute is 
 allowed to eat cake on the premises." 
 
 " Why not ? " 
 
 " We do not explain to boys the reason for ev 
 ery thing we do," replied Mr. Gault, rather curtly. 
 
 " I don't think you have any right to take my 
 property away from me." 
 
 " I don't ask your opinion, and it is of no value 
 \\hatevor." 
 
 <v You needn't be so crusty about it," said 
 Richard, who was wholly unused to this style of 
 remark. 
 
 *' We tolerate no impudence here. If you use an 
 11*
 
 126 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 expression of that kind again, you will be put under 
 arrest, and spend the night in the guard house." 
 
 Richard's blood was beginning to boil, and ho 
 was. tempted to pitch into the insolent instructor 
 who dared to use language of that kind to the 
 only son of the proprietor of Woodville. But he 
 did not want to get into trouble the first day; 
 besides, the words "arrest" and "guard house" 
 had a very ominous sound to him. 
 
 " Can't I have my books ? They are not cake,' 1 
 asked Richard. 
 
 " No, sir ; you cannot. Such trash as that is 
 not fit for boys to read. Your property will be 
 kept safely for you, and when you leave the school, 
 you can have it again." 
 
 " The cake will not be very good then." 
 
 " You can do any thing you please with it, ex 
 cept eat it. You can sell it, or give it away." 
 
 " You can do what you like with it." 
 
 " Very well. Have you any money about you ? " 
 
 " I have." 
 
 " You will hand it to me, and a receipt for the 
 amount will be forwarded to your father."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 127 
 
 " Do you mean to rob me ? " demanded Richard, 
 his face flushing at this new indignity. 
 
 " I refer you to the regulations of the Insti 
 tute. We provide every thing the boys require, 
 and they have no more use for money than they 
 have for wings." 
 
 " I won't give up my money." 
 
 " Very well, sir. I will refer the matter to 
 Colonel Brockridge, and you may settle it with 
 him. Follow me, if you please," said Mr. Gault, 
 after Richard had locked the trunk containing the 
 contraband articles. 
 
 The new scholar followed the teacher to the 
 office of the principal on the first floor. He was 
 very uneasy and nervous, and almost wished he 
 had given up his money. But he felt that the 
 tutor was carrying things altogether too far. It 
 was subjecting him to a needless indignity. 
 
 " This young man refuses to give up his money," 
 said Mr. Gault to the colonel, who was writing 
 at his desk. 
 
 Without waiting to ascertain the result ot 
 the interview, the assistant departed, leaving the
 
 128 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 obdurate youth alone with the owner of those 
 terribly sharp eyes. 
 
 " Have you read our regulations, Grant ? " said 
 Colonel Brockridge, turning round and looking the 
 recruit full in the face. 
 
 But there was a pleasant smile upon his face, 
 and his words were gentle, and even respectful. 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied Richard. 
 
 " Then you are aware that pupils are not allowed 
 to have money are you not ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir." 
 
 " Boys are tempted to purchase various articles 
 which injure them, such as cakes and candy, and 
 improper books. Therefore we think it is better 
 that they should not be provided with money. Is 
 this a satisfactory explanation ? " 
 
 " I don't know but it is, sir," replied Richard, 
 doubtfully. 
 
 " It satisfies me, at any rate. How much monej 
 have you ? " 
 
 " About five dollars." 
 
 " Now, Grant, if you will hand it to me, I wiU 
 pive you a receipt for it, or send it to your father.
 
 THE CONUUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 129 
 
 I will keep it, subject to your order, if you de 
 sire it." 
 
 "I don't like the rule, sir." 
 
 " I think it is an excellent -rule. But you waste 
 my time. Your decision, Grant." 
 
 " I should like to think of the matter, sir." 
 
 " \our decision at once," said the colonel ; and 
 Richard saw the sharp eyes grow a shade sharper, 
 and heard the deep voice grow a shade sterner. 
 
 The recruit winced under the necessity thus laid 
 upon him. The principal could not be trifled with, 
 and he must either submit, or take the conse 
 quences, which were so indefinite to him that they 
 seemed sufficiently terrible. 
 
 " I will give up the money," said he, with a 
 struggle, as he handed his wallet to the colonel. 
 
 " I am glad to find you are a discreet and sen 
 sible youth," added the colonel, as he wrote the 
 receipt, and handed it, with the wallet, from which 
 he had taken the money, back to the owner. " If 
 you wish to use money for any proper purpose, 
 you can draw on me, and your paper shall be 
 honored to the extent of the funds in my hands."
 
 130 IS SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 " I don't think I air likely to. want money 
 here," answered Richard, gloomily. 
 
 " Every needed article will be furnished. Now, 
 Grant, I am afraid you have come here with an 
 intention to resist our wholesome regulations. If 
 so, you must learn the meaning of " right about, 
 face " in its moral application, I mean. Your 
 father has told me all about you, and given me 
 explicit instructions to make a man of you. I un 
 derstand your case perfectly. If you are disposed 
 to observe the rules of the Institute, we shall treat 
 you like a gentleman. The future is before you, 
 young man, and you must choose for yourself." 
 
 " I intend to obey the rules, sir," said Richard, 
 rather crest-fallen after what had happened. 
 
 " I am very glad to hear you say so. In a few 
 days you will be provided with the uniform worn 
 by the pupils of the Institute. Here is a time card 
 for the fall term. Look it over carefully, for you 
 will be required to conform to it very strictly. To 
 morrow morning you will take your place with 
 the boys, and go through with the programme 
 just as though you had been here all your life-
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 131 
 
 time. We make no allowances for beginners ; they 
 will have seasonable warning, and they must be 
 on the ground promptly at the moment. There 
 will be a dress parade in a few moments, and you 
 can go out and witness it, if you choose," said 
 Colonel Brockridge, as he handed Richard the card. 
 " After supper. Mr. Gault will introduce you to 
 the boys of your barrack." 
 
 Richard took the card, and left the room. As 
 he passed out of the building he descried the 
 boys at play on the lawn. They were all dressed 
 in a uniform of gray cloth, though some wore a 
 loose blouse, and some, in the heat of play, had 
 thrown off their jackets. The new scholar walked 
 over to the flagstaff, where the stars and stripes 
 were flying, and seated himself on a bench. The 
 boys seemed, to be having a good time, in spite 
 of the strictness of the discipline. As he listened 
 to the tremendous noise they made, and saw the 
 rough-and-tumble games in which they were en 
 gaged, he became convinced that the Institute was 
 not of the BJember style, and he began to have 
 = hope that he should survive the shook.
 
 132 IN SCHOOL /US T D OUT, OR 
 
 While he was waiting for the dress parade, he 
 examined the time card given him by the principal. 
 To him it had a decidedly strait-jacket odor, and 
 he read it with a feeling of repugnance, not to 
 ssy disgust. It was as follows : 
 
 "TUNBR'OOK MILITARY INSTITUTE. 
 
 FALL TERM. 
 
 From Sept. 1 to Dec. 1. 
 
 6 A. M. Reveille. 
 
 6.30 " Study. 
 
 7.30 " Breakfast. 
 
 8 " Squad Drill. 
 
 9 " Study and Recitation. 
 11 " Battalion Drill. 
 
 I P. M. Dinner. 
 
 1.30 " Recreation. 
 
 3 " Study and Recitation, 
 
 5 " Recreation. 
 
 6 '* Dress Parade. 
 6.30 " Supper. 
 
 7 " Off Time. 
 9 " Retire.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF BICHARL) GUANT. 133 
 
 The ' Off Time ' belongs to the student ; but 
 deficient lessons must be made up during these 
 hours. 
 
 &P* Camp duty will be performed by all students 
 for one week, in each term, except the winter 
 
 term. 
 
 J. BROCKRIDGE, 
 
 PRINCIPAL." 
 
 Richard thought the time card was rather formi 
 dable, but he came to the conclusion that he could 
 stand, it, if the rest of the boys could. 
 
 While he was musing upon the present and the 
 future, the rattling drum sounded, and the boys 
 instantly suspended their play. In a moment the 
 whole crowd had disappeared within the buildings 
 that flanked the lawn ; but presently the rattle of 
 several drums was heard, and one company aftei 
 another marched upon the parade ground, and 
 formed the line. Every boy was dressed in full 
 uniform now, the blouses and other non-con 
 forming garments having been thrown aside, and 
 every one wore white gloves. 
 
 Richard found that the teachers were not the 
 12
 
 134 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 officers of the companies, or the battalion, as he 
 had expected. Several of the instructors were 
 present, but they appeared to take no part in the 
 proceedings. Every thing was managed by the boys, 
 apparently without any assistance from the teachers 
 The captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and corporals 
 were all in appropriate uniform, with their rank 
 designated as in the United States army. The 
 swords and muskets were genuine weapons, though 
 not so large and heavy as those used by older 
 soldiers. The students varied in age from fourteen 
 to eighteen. 
 
 The various evolutions of the dress parade were 
 regularly performed. The adjutant announced to 
 the major that the parade was formed ; the band, 
 consisting of eight pieces, marched up and down 
 the line ; the first sergeants reported " all present 
 or accounted for," and the company officers marched 
 up to the commander of the battalion. The boys 
 were as rigid as statues when the order, " Parade 
 rest," was given. The companies marched back 
 to the armories, broke ranks, and were dismissed. 
 
 Richard was delighted with this exhibition, and
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 135 
 
 the Tunbrook Military Institute went up many de 
 grees in his estimation. He followed the boys into 
 the supper room, where, without much ceremony, Le 
 made the acquaintance of several captains and lieu 
 tenants. He received a hearty welcome from his 
 new associates, and began to feel very much at 
 home. 
 
 The supper was not exactly what he had been 
 accustomed to at "Woodville, but it was plain 
 wholesome food ; and when he saw officers and 
 privates, from the major down to the drummers, 
 partake of it with hearty relish, he was not dis 
 posed to grumble. 
 
 After supper, the boys scattered in every direc 
 tion. Some went out doors, some to the bar 
 racks, some to the school rooms. It was " off- 
 time," and without much assistance from Mr. Gault, 
 who attempted to introduce him, he made the 
 acquaintance of half the students in the Institute. 
 At nine o'clock the sound of the drum rolled 
 through the halls, and the boys all retired.
 
 136 IN SCHOOL AND OUT. OR 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 RICHARD GOES THROUGH THE DRILL, ANT HAS 
 A SET-TO IN THE GROVE. 
 
 RICHARD slept very well, and was attending to 
 the business of sleeping with great pertinacity, 
 when the reveille sounded at six o'clock in the 
 morning. He did not feel much like getting up, 
 and though the other boys in Barrack B instantly 
 jumped out of bed, he did not heed the summons. 
 It went against his grain to get up at the sound 
 of a drum, or of a bell ; not that he cared to lie 
 in bed any longer, but the principle of the thing 
 was utterly objectionable. 
 
 " Come, Grant," said the boy who occupied one 
 of the beds next to him, in a kind and friendly 
 tone, " it's time to turn out." 
 
 " I suppose it is," yawned Richard, " but I'm 
 not quite ready to get up yet."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GBANT. 137 
 
 " Better get up at once. They call the roll to 
 half past six. You are in our company, you know. 11 
 
 "Suppose I don't get up what then?" 
 
 " It will be all the worse for you." 
 
 "What will they dor" 
 
 " I don't know ; but fellows don't like to be 
 late at roll-call." 
 
 Richard concluded to get up, for he preferred to 
 see a punishment inflicted upon some one besides 
 himself before he got into trouble. Bailey for this 
 was the name of the boy next to him told him 
 what to do, and where to go, till they made their 
 appearance at the armory of Company D, to which 
 the recruit had been assigned. They were then 
 sent to the school room for an hour's study. 
 Rich \rd was examined to ascertain his attainments, 
 and placed in a class, and he was told to prepare 
 himself for the lessons of the day. There was no 
 great hardship in this, and as Richard's talents 
 were of a high order, he had no difficulty in per 
 forming the work assigned to him. 
 
 The breakfast call scattered the beys again, and 
 they were soon reassembled in the dining room. 
 12*
 
 188 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 When they were seated, profound silence reigned 
 throughout the apartment. The principal, all the 
 assistant teachers, and every one else belonging to 
 the establishment, were present. The chaplain then 
 read a short passage from the Scriptures, which 
 was followed by a prayer, the whole service occu 
 pying not more than three or four minutes. 
 
 The breakfast consisted of coffee, beefsteak, po 
 tatoes, with cold bread and butter. The new 
 comer was perfectly satisfied with this fare, and 
 taking it as a sample of his living, he did not be 
 lieve he should starve. 
 
 " What next, Nevers ? " asked Richard of the 
 boy who sat next to him, and who wore the desig 
 nation of an orderly sergeant. 
 
 " Squad drill, my boy. We shall give you some 
 now," replied Nevers. " We begin to find out 
 what a fellow is made of on drill." 
 
 There was a little spare time before the drill 
 came on, and the new student improved it by 
 inquiring particularly into the nature of his duties. 
 Bailey was patient and communicative, and he ob 
 tained from him all the information he wanted.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICK \.ED GRANT. 139 
 
 Again the drum rattled, and the boys made theii 
 way to the several armories. The doors and win 
 dows were thrown open, and the drill commenced. 
 It was conducted by Mr. Gault, who was assisted 
 oy various officers of the company. 
 
 " Xevers," said the assistant, " you may take 
 Grant and instruct him in the positions." 
 
 Richard -glanced at the orderly sergeant to whom 
 this command had been given, and the look of satis 
 faction which Nevers put on did not please him. 
 
 " This way, if you please, Grant," said the 
 young orderly sergeant, as he led the way to one 
 corner of the armory. 
 
 " What are you going to do ? " demanded the 
 recruit. 
 
 " Give you the positions." 
 
 " Are you my teacher ? " 
 
 " I am ordered to give you the positions," re 
 plied Nevers, chuckling with a delight which the 
 Dew comer could not understand. 
 
 " You want to find out what I am made ct 
 don't you ? " said Richard, remembering what thn 
 other had said to him at breakfast.
 
 140 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " I always obey orders." 
 
 " Well, I think I should rather be instructed by 
 the regular teachers." 
 
 " Very well ; I will report to Mr. Gault." 
 
 " You needn't trouble yourself. If this is the 
 custom, go ahead. I am ready." 
 
 " Stand as I do, if you please heels on 
 the same line, feet turned out equally, knees 
 straight." 
 
 Richard observed all these instructions, and being 
 a very tractable scholar, he was soon master of the 
 positions. 
 
 " Eyes right ! " continued Nevers, explaining 
 the meaning of the order. " Front." 
 
 There were three other boys, who had not yet 
 been supplied with uniforms, having come to the 
 Institute a few days before. These also were 
 placed in Nevers's care, and he began to drill 
 them in the facings. 
 
 "Attention squad," said the drill master, ex 
 plaining what he meant, and going through with the 
 next movement. " Right face.*' 
 
 Richard did not come to time, and the sergeant
 
 THJE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 141 
 
 repeated his instructions, and gave the order again ; 
 but it was done no better than the first time. 
 
 " Move quicker, Grant. How long will it take 
 you to turn on your left heel ? Now, try again. 
 Right face!" 
 
 The young gentleman from Woodvfllfl did not 
 like the style of the drill master's remarks. Though 
 he had been scrupulously polite in all he had said, 
 up to the point of Richard's failure to obey the 
 order with promptness, there was something in 
 his tone and manner that was very offensive to 
 him. Nevers seemed to feel that he was armed 
 with authority, and he intended to make the new 
 comer feel it ; but Richard took his own time, and 
 after they had tried half a dozen times, he could 
 not "right face" till after the others had completed 
 the movement. 
 
 " How long will it take you to turn on your 
 heel, Grant ? " said Xevers, sharply, when his pa 
 tience had been sorely tried. 
 
 " Till you speak a little more civilly," replied 
 Richard, quietly. " Perhaps nrt till you have found 
 out what I am made of."
 
 142 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 Nevers bit his lip at this reply. Perhaps he 
 was conscious that he ought not to have used the 
 remark, or he might have reported the contumacy 
 of the recruit to the assistant in charge of the 
 room. 
 
 " We will try again," continued Nevers. " Right 
 face." 
 
 The result was no better than before ; for Rich 
 ard was so offended at the manner of the instruct 
 or that he determined not to obey. 
 
 " Well, Grant, you won't get round till the first 
 day of January. You are a perfect dough-head," 
 said Nevers, the last remark being in a low tone, 
 though it was distinctly heard by the subject of it. 
 
 " All right," muttered Richard. " If you have 
 found out what my head is made of, I will show 
 you, by and by, what my fist is made of." 
 
 " Ready when you are," replied Nevers, drop 
 ping his voice so that the assistant teacher could 
 not hear him. "Now, about face;" and he 
 explained the movement, and went through with it 
 himself. 
 
 Richard, having made up his mind what to do
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 
 
 when the occasion offered, did not deem it neces 
 sary to carry his resistance any farther at present 
 Besides, he was very desirous of learning the drill, 
 that he might join the company. - His " about face," 
 therefore, was unexceptionable. 
 
 " Very well, Grant," said the drill master, in a 
 satirical tone, and with a patronizing air. 
 
 " Your praise and your censure are all the same 
 to me. Spare me both, if you please," replied 
 Richard, with a dignity becoming the male heir 
 of Woodville. 
 
 " No impudence, you puppy ! " growled Nevers, 
 his cheek flushed with anger. " If Gault wasn't 
 here, I'd boot you." 
 
 " I will make an opportunity for you when he 
 is not present. Do your duty like a decent fel 
 low, if you can," answered Richard. 
 
 " Squad, forward march," said Nevers, as he 
 explained how the command was to be executed. 
 
 As Richard and his companions in the squad 
 were very tractable scholars, they soon mastered all 
 the mysteries of the step in common time, and were 
 then instructed in the principles of the " double
 
 144 IN SCHOOL AND OT T, OR 
 
 quick." They were then reviewed several times? in 
 what they had learned ; after which muskets were 
 placed in their hands, and they were taught to 
 " shoulder arms," " support arms," and " present 
 arms." 
 
 The hour devoted to drill was finished, and in 
 spite of the overbearing manner of the instructor, 
 Richard was pleased with the exercise, and even 
 began to entertain visions of military glory. 
 
 The two hours devoted to study and recitations 
 passed off without any thing to distinguish them. 
 Richard had learned his lessons, and every thing 
 went off to his satisfaction. The next item on the 
 time card was the battalion drill. The recruits 
 were placed in the ranks, and for an hour and a 
 half they were exercised in the school of the bat 
 talion ; part of the time by Colonel Brockridge, 
 and part of the time by the young gentleman who 
 had been elected by the company officers to the 
 command of the battalion Major Morgan. If 
 Richard was pleased with the squad and company 
 rill, he was delighted with that of the battalion. 
 
 After 'dinner came the hour of recreation. Dur-
 
 THE CONQUEHT OF KICHA.RD GRANT. 145 
 
 ing this time the boys were allowed to go any where 
 upon the estate, which contained about a hundred 
 acres of land. Some of them made up games on 
 the parade ground, and others went over to the 
 grove, a short distance from the Institute build 
 ings. Richard and Bailey, who had become good 
 friends in the short time they had been ac 
 quainted, took a walk over the estate. They 
 found the students engaged in every amusement 
 which the genius of a boy could devise, from base 
 ball and cricket down to mud dams and water 
 wheels. 
 
 In the grove they found Nevers, whom Richard 
 was very anxious to meet. The orderly sergeant 
 was a year older than Richard, and somewhat 
 heavier. 
 
 " There is the fellow I've been looking for," 
 said Richard to his companion. 
 
 Who Nevers ? " 
 
 " Yes, that's his name." 
 
 " Do you know him ? " 
 
 " He drilled our squad this morning, and took 
 the trouble to insult me several times." 
 13
 
 146 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " Just like him. He is the biggest bully in the 
 school." 
 
 " I am going to knock some of his impudence 
 out of him." 
 
 "You?" exclaimed Bailey, stopping short, and 
 looking with astonishment at the new comer. 
 
 " I am going to try it, at any rate," added 
 Richard, more modestly. " I don't let any fellow 
 insult me." 
 
 " Why, he will break every bone in your body. 
 He can lick any fellow in the school." 
 
 " I don't care for that. I won't be imposed 
 upon by him." 
 
 " But it vfon't do ; if any fellow gets up a fight 
 here, it goes hard with him." 
 
 " Can't help that." 
 
 " But he will whip* you, as sure as you attempt 
 it. I tell you he is the bully of the school." 
 
 " He called me a dough-head, on drill, this 
 morning." 
 
 " If you had reported him to Mr. Gault, he 
 would have punished him severely. No officei 
 is allowed to speak impudently to a private.
 
 THE CO-NUri>X OF RICHARD. GKANT. 147 
 
 especially to a new fellow. Why didn't you re 
 port him ? " 
 
 " Because I feel able to fight my own battles ; 
 besides, I don't like the idea of being a tell 
 tale." 
 
 " I advise you not to touch him. He will make 
 mince meat of you, if you do." 
 
 " Perhaps he will ; he shall have a chance to 
 tv it." 
 
 " I should like to see him licked, and so would 
 every other fellow in the school." 
 
 " I think I can take care of him." 
 
 "Do you know any thing about the science?" 
 
 " 0, well, something," replied Richard, with as 
 sumed indifference. 
 
 But Richard had been very thoroughly educated 
 in the science of self-defence by Bob Bleeker, who 
 had served his tune as a butcher's boy in New 
 York city, and done duty there as a rough of the 
 first water. 
 
 " Nevers knows all about it. He has had half 
 a dozen pitched battles with fellows whom he bul 
 lied, and all of them got whipped. Nevers ha*
 
 148 IN SCHOOL A.V1) OUT, OK 
 
 been ' cock of the walk for the last year, for no 
 fellow dares say a word to him." 
 
 Richard said no more, but went directly to the 
 place where the bully was standing. He walked 
 up to him with a bold and defiant air. 
 
 " I am glad to meet you, Xevers," said he, with 
 easy self-possession. 
 
 "Are you, my fighting chicken ? " laughed Nevers. 
 
 " You called me a dough-head this morning,'' 
 added Richard. 
 
 " I did ; and to make sure that there is no mis 
 take, I repeat it You are a dough-head." 
 
 " Then take that for your impudence ! " said 
 Richard, as with a sudden movement he slapped 
 the bully's face. 
 
 " A fight ! A fight ! " shouted the dozen boys 
 who were gathered in that part of the grove. 
 
 " What do you want, Grant ? " demanded Xevers, 
 turning pale and red with rage. " Do you want 
 me to lick you ? " 
 
 " If you please. You wanted to know what I 
 am made of. I am ready to show you."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 149 
 
 " Clear the ring ! " shouted the boys, forming a 
 circle round the two belligerents. 
 
 Richard coolly threw off his jacket and vest 
 rolled up his shirt sleeves, unloosed his suspenders, 
 and wound them round his waist, to support his 
 pants. Nevers threw off his jacket only. By this 
 t/me, at least fifty boys had assembled to witness 
 the encounter ; and so unpopular was the bully, 
 that Richard had the sympathy of the whole crowd, 
 except a few personal friends of his opponent. 
 
 " I am all ready," said Richard, taking the most 
 approved attitude. 
 
 " So am I," replied the ready Xevers, as he edged 
 up to Richard, and attempted to plant a blow by 
 the side of his head, which was handsomely par 
 ried, and a left-handed rap lodged under the eye 
 of the bully. 
 
 This blow maddened Xcvcrs, and he redoubled 
 his efforts to crush his opponent, as he had expected 
 to do at the first onset. " Keep cool, and have 
 both eyes open," had been the oft-repeated admo 
 nition of Richard's distinguished instructor in the 
 sublime art of self-defence, and he carefully observed 
 13*
 
 150 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 the instruction. After a few more plunges on the 
 part of Nevers, he found himself on the ground, 
 from the effect of a stunning blow which Richard 
 had given him on the side of the head. 
 
 " Are you satisfied ? " called Richard, flushed with 
 victory. 
 
 " Xo ! " yelled Xevers, as he sprang to his feet, 
 and rushed upon his antagonist. 
 
 Richard's coolness enabled him to do wonders, 
 and the bully was down again in a moment more. 
 
 " Come on if you are not satisfied," said Rich 
 ard, whose nose was bleeding, and on whose face 
 there was a huge swelling, caused by the bully's 
 hard fist. 
 
 " Time ! " shouted the boys. 
 
 " Gault's coming ! Dry up ! " " Settle it another 
 time," added others, as they began to scatter.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GBANT. 151 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 BICHARD DOES A " BIG THING," AND TAKES THE 
 
 CONSEQUENCES. 
 
 IN the language of the " prize ring," Nevers was 
 still able to " come to time ; " therefore Richard 
 could not be regarded as the victor in the fierce 
 contest. The boys who formed the ring began to 
 scatter as soon as the coming of the assistant 
 teacher was announced. But they helped the com 
 batants to clothe themselves, and used every effort 
 in their power to conceal the fact that a fightr had 
 taken place. 
 
 " A drawn battle," said one of the student*. 
 
 " Grant," said Nevers, " I am far from being 
 satisfied. At five o'clock, if you are ready, we 
 will finish this business." 
 
 " With all my heart," replied Richard, wiping 
 the blood from his nose.
 
 1/52 IN SCIIOOI AND OUT, OR 
 
 " T hope you will do so," said the bully, ear 
 nestly. 
 
 " You hope I will ! Do you suppose I will not ? 
 I am v tiling to be put under bonds to appeaT 
 at the time named, Nevers. If any body backs 
 out, I shall not be the one." 
 
 " 1 am sure I shall not." 
 
 " Good ! " shouted the boys. ' 
 
 " Now, keep still, fellows," added Nevers. 
 " Don't say a word about it, or all the fun will 
 be spoiled." 
 
 The spectators of the barbarous spectacle all 
 promised to keep still, and Richard moved over to 
 a brook behind the grove to wash the blood 
 from his face. His opponent had sundry very 
 bad-looking places on his physiognomy, but no 
 blood had been drawn. 
 
 By this time Mr. Gault made his appearance 
 in the grove ; but so well did the boys play their 
 parts, that he did not even suspect that any 
 unusual event had transpired. Some of them 
 commenced a game of " tag," and played ^ ith 
 such zeal that no one could have suspected they
 
 THE CONQUEST OF UICIIAIU) GRANT. 153 
 
 were not in earnest. Others engaged in conver 
 sation, and those who had followed Richaid to the 
 brook resumed their labors upon the dam and 
 water wheel. 
 
 Mr. Gault had no particular motive in visiting 
 th.^ grove. He was merely taking a walk in the 
 discharge of his duty, which included a general 
 supervision of the boys on all the grounds. But 
 Richard kept out of his way, fearful lest hig 
 swelled face should betray him, and thus prevent 
 the final settlement of the account. He felt like 
 a victor already, for he was perfectly confident 
 that his superior science and coolness would give 
 him the battle. 
 
 I am sorry to add that he did not think of 
 the good resolutions he had made ; or, if he did, 
 he banished the thought as inconvenient and un- 
 comfi . '. Te really believed that he had been 
 
 deeply ii.jured by the bully of the Institute, and 
 if he did not regard it as a positive duty to 
 obtain satisfaction, he at least felt that such a 
 coursi rfectly justifiable. 
 
 Nevers was the bullv of the school. Weak
 
 ( ~A IN SCHOOL A.XD OUT, OR 
 
 and timid boys were obliged to submit to his 
 insults. He had won the position of the " best 
 man " in the school, and he employed his power 
 in playing the tyrant. Ilichard felt that he must 
 either whip him, or acknowledge him as his supe 
 rior, and submit to his rule. 
 
 The element of pride also had a powerful in 
 fluence upon his mind. Bailey had told him that 
 f 
 
 Nevers could whip any fellow in the Institute ; and 
 it followed, of course, if he could master him, he 
 should at once become the champion of the ring. 
 Richard regarded this as a proud distinction, and 
 he was quite willing to have a battered nose and 
 a swelled face in the achievement of such an 
 honor. 
 
 More than all this, Richard was animated by the 
 generous sentiment that, in fighting and whipping 
 the bully of the ring, he became the champion of 
 the weak and the timid, who dared not resent the 
 insolence of Nevers. 
 
 When he had washed his face and stopped the 
 bleeding, he followed the course of the brook, till 
 t emptied itself ink the river, which was a small
 
 THE COX QUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 155 
 
 stream some four or five rods wide. He was at 
 tended by Bailey and two or three other boys, -who 
 had suddenly conceived a very great admiration for 
 him. If he was not the victor in the fight, he had 
 the advantage, and he had already partially entered 
 upon the enjoyment of the honors which would be 
 bestowed upon the conqueror of Nevers. 
 
 A short distance above the mouth of the brook, 
 the river received the waters of the beautiful and 
 picturesque Tunbrook Lake. The Institute grounds 
 bordered upon it for some distance, and great 
 was the satisfaction of Richard when he saw sev 
 eral boats, which his companions informed him be 
 longed to the school. There was a large schooner- 
 rigged sail boat, two twelve-oar race boats, besides 
 three smaller craft. He felt at home here, and in 
 quired particularly whether the boys were allowed 
 to use these boats. They were only permitted to 
 sail in company with some of the instructors. 
 
 The boys were exercised in rowing on Satur 
 day afternoons, when the regular sessions o^ thn 
 school were suspended, and also upon the wcca- 
 uional holidays which were granted. The lake
 
 156 LN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 was sovcn miles long, by about two in breadth^ 
 so that there was abundant sea room. While 
 they were examining the boats, and viewing the 
 beautiful lake, the signal bell in the tower of 
 the Institute school room sounded its warning 
 peal, and summoned them to study and recita 
 tion. 
 
 " How does my face look, Bailey ? " 
 
 " Xot very bad." 
 
 " Do you think Gault will smell a mice when 
 he hears my lessons ? " 
 
 " I don't see why he should." 
 
 " I guess I can stave him off if he docs," added 
 Richard, confidently. " Didn't you see me tumble 
 down when that fellow chased me ? " 
 
 " What fellow ? " asked Bailey. 
 
 " Any fellow you please," replied Richard, with 
 a knowing smile. 
 
 " I didn't see any fellow chase you," added 
 Bailey, innocently. 
 
 " Can't you see through a millstone when there 
 U a hole in it ? " 
 
 " Of course I can."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 167 
 
 " Don't you see what I mean ? " 
 
 " No, I don't." 
 
 " If Gault asks me how I hurt my face, I will 
 tell him a fellow was chasing me, and I tumbled 
 down. Of course all the rest of you saw it." 
 
 " But I don't see it," persisted Bailey. 
 
 " Don't you, indeed ! Then I think you ought 
 to have a pair of leather spectacles." 
 
 " O, I know what you mean, but I don't believe 
 iu lying about it." 
 
 "Ah, then you are a military saint are you?" 
 said Richard, with a sneer. 
 
 " All but the saint," laughed Bailey. " I don't 
 think there is any use in lying about it." 
 
 " Then I suppose you think it was very wicked 
 of me to fight with Xevers." 
 
 " No, I don't," answered Bailey, promptly and 
 decidedly. " Xevers is a bully, and he insulted 
 you. My father always told me never to lake an 
 insult, but he would thrash me for telling a lie." 
 
 " Well, Bailey, I believe you are right. I think 
 it is mean tn tell a lie; but how shall I manage 
 it?" 
 
 14
 
 158 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 ki Face the music. A fellow who can stand 
 such a pounding as you have had, wouldn't mind 
 being punished." 
 
 " I don't like to be punished." 
 
 " I don't know as the colonel would punish 
 you. If a fellow gets up ' a fight, he has to take 
 it ; but if he only defends himself, he says he 
 does no more than his duty." 
 
 "Well, who got up this fight?" 
 
 " That's the point. Nevers insulted you, and 
 you pitched into him. I don't know which is 
 most to blame." 
 
 " We will leave it to the powers that be, and 
 not bother our heads about the question I won't 
 lie about it, any how." 
 
 By the time this point was settled the boys 
 had reached the school room. Richard applied 
 himself with zeal and patience to the labors of the 
 afternoon, determined to do his whole duty. When 
 called out to recite, Mr. Gault noticed the swelling 
 upon his face, and at recess asked him what hs,d 
 caused it.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHAKD GKANT. 15J 
 
 " It was done in a little affair out in the grove 
 sir," replied Richard. 
 
 " What kind of an affair ? " 
 
 " Xevers and I had a little set-to," said Richard 
 
 " Rather rough play, I should think," addet 
 Mr. Gault, as he struck the bell for the work to 
 be resumed. 
 
 Richard congratulated himself that he had es 
 caped, and, as he thought, without telling a lie. He 
 told none with his lips, but his manner was such as 
 to assure the teacher that the affair in the grove 
 had been nothing but friendly sport. Deception, 
 or wilfully misleading another, for the accomplish 
 ment of a purpose, is, in our opinion, just as cul 
 pable a falsehood as gaining the same end by a 
 lie expressed in words. But Richard had not come 
 up to this standard. 
 
 At the close of the school session, Richard has 
 tened to the grove, as did all the boys who were 
 in the secret of the fight. Nevers was on the 
 ground soon after him, and the arrangements for 
 the fight were hastily completed. A line of scouts 
 reaching from the parade ground to the grove wa?
 
 160 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 stationed at convenient distances to give warning 
 of the approach of any of the teachers. The ring 
 was formed, and Richard coolly divested himself of 
 all superfluous clothing, and prepared with the ut 
 most care for the desperate encounter. 
 
 Xevers was ready sooner than Richard, for he 
 was not so precise in the arrangement of his gar 
 ments. As he took his place in the ring, though 
 he stood strong and defiant, there was a kind of 
 nervousness in his manner, which might have been 
 detected by a keen observer. 
 
 " Come, Grant, we shall not get to work to-day, 
 if you don't huiry up," said Xevers, his lip curl 
 ing into a sneer. 
 
 But it was the bully in him that spoke. He 
 had a reputation to sustain, and he was saying 
 and doing all he could to ward off any imputation 
 upon his courage. 
 
 " In one moment, Nevers," added Richard. 
 
 " You are as particular as though you were 
 going to a -ball," continued Xevers. 
 
 " I suppose you are too much of a man U'
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 161 
 
 bawl, whatever happens ; so here won't be any," 
 replied Richard. 
 
 " We shall have the colonel and all the teachers 
 down upon us, if you don't get fixed soon." 
 
 " I'm all ready," said Richard, throwing himself 
 into the attitude of the pugilist. 
 
 " Come on, then." 
 
 Richard edged up to his antagonist, and after 
 considerable sparring, the fight commenced in good 
 earnest. Xevers was too much excited to use all 
 his strength to the best advantage, for the first 
 hit he received seemed to make him angry. In 
 the first round Richard had the advantage. In the 
 second, Nevcrs knocked him down ; but he was not 
 at all disconcerted. The heavy blows he received 
 did not appear to disturb his equanimity, while his 
 opponent worked himself up into a towering pas 
 sion. The fight went on for ten minutes with vary 
 ing results. At one time all the spectators were 
 sure that, Xe'vers would win, and at another thej 
 were equally sure that (mint would be the victor. 
 
 The anger of Xevers exhausted him more than 
 his tremendous efforts. Both parties had been ter- 
 14*
 
 162 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, Oil 
 
 ribly punished, but Richard was still cool and self- 
 possessed. At last Xevers became desperate, and 
 rushed upon his foe, determined at one effoit to 
 crush him. He was furious, and abandoned all 
 the science he had brought to his aid, and appar 
 ently depended entirely upon brute force. The 
 consequence was, that he laid himself open to his 
 cool rival, and Richard rained a series of tremen 
 dous blows upon his head, which carried him un 
 der. He fell heavily upon the ground, and lay 
 there incapable of moving. 
 
 Richard, though his nose was bleeding, and he 
 could not see out of one eye, seated himself on 
 the ground for a moment, till he had recovered his 
 breath, and then took his place in the ring. 
 
 " Time ! " cried the friends of Richard. 
 
 But Nevers could not " come to time." He 
 raised himself partly up, -but sank back again, in 
 capable of making the effort to rise. 
 
 " Come on ! " said Richard, as lie sparred a lit 
 tle with nis fists to assure the spectators that ho 
 was " game " to the last. 
 
 Nevers made no reply, and Richard was declared
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 163 
 
 the victor by his. own friends, and the proposi 
 tion was admitted by those of his prostrate an 
 tagonist. 
 
 " I am satisfied," added Richard, as he picked 
 up his clothes, and made his way down to the 
 brook, attended by an admiring crowd. 
 
 When Nevers recovered his breath, he rose from 
 the ground, and his companions helped him down 
 to the water, where he was bathed by his sympa 
 thizing friends. Both of the combatants were se 
 verely though not seriously injured. 
 
 "What's to be done now, fellows?" asked Rich 
 ard, when all that cold water could do for him 
 had been done. " I suppose we are all in a bad 
 scrape." 
 
 " That's so," replied several. " We will stand 
 by you, Grant, as well as we car.." 
 
 " I am not exactly in condition to appear at 
 dress parade," added Richard, turning his head 
 round, so as to bring his available eye to bear 
 upon his companions. 
 
 " You are better off than Nevers, who is first 
 sergeant of Company D."
 
 164 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " Can't we keep out of sight till we get our 
 eyes open, as little kittens do ? " 
 
 " Roll call before dress parade," suggested Bai 
 ley. 
 
 " Can't some fellow answer for me ? I will 
 spend the night in the cahin of the sail boat on 
 the lake. It won't be the first time I've slept in 
 a boat." 
 
 " That won't do. Better face the music, Grant." 
 
 " But, I shall be punished for this affair. I 
 don't " 
 
 *' Colonel Brockridge is coming ! " was the word 
 passed down the line of scouts, interrupting Rich 
 ard's remarks on the subject of punishment. 
 
 " What shall I do ? " 
 
 " Don't do any thing, Grant," said Bailey. " You 
 are sure to be found out, whatever you do. If 
 you run away, it will be all the worse for you." 
 
 Richard, after a moment's reflection, was of the 
 same opinion, and he decided to take the conse 
 quences, whatever they might be. 
 
 'What does all this mean?" demanded the
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GKANT. 165 
 
 colonel, sternly, when he saw the swelled face of 
 Richard. 
 
 " Been a fight, sir," replied several of the boy? 
 
 " Between whom ? " 
 
 " Nevers and Grant." 
 
 '' Nevers and Grant will report forthwith in my 
 office," said the principal, as he walked back to 
 ihe Institute.
 
 166 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 RICHARD LISTENS TO A HOMILY ON FIGHTING, AND 
 SPENDS THE NIGHT IN THE GUARD HOUSE. 
 
 RICHARD, in obedience to the order of the prin 
 cipal, immediately repaired to the office, where he 
 was soon joined by Nevers, both of them very 
 much the worse for the encounter. 
 
 " You have been fighting have you, young 
 gentlemen ? " demanded Colonel Brockridge, as he 
 entered the room. 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied I oth of the culprits, in the 
 same breath. 
 
 " You know the rules of the Institute, Nevers," 
 added the principal, sternly. 
 
 " I do, sir ; but I was struck, and was obliged 
 to fight in self-defence." 
 
 " And you, Grant, had common sense enough to 
 know better than to engage in a fight. You struck 
 the first blow did you ? "
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 167 
 
 " I struck the first blow that was given with 
 the fist, but Nevers struck the heaviest blow with 
 his tongue." 
 
 " Explain, Grant." 
 
 " At breakfast I was informed by Nevers that 
 they found out what boys were made of on drill." 
 
 " Did you make use of this remark, Nevers ? M 
 asked the principal. 
 
 " I did, sir." 
 
 " What did you mean by it ? " 
 
 " Simply that we found out something about a 
 boy's capacity." 
 
 " Ah, indeed ! " added Colonel Brockridge, in a 
 slightly satirical tone. " What did you understand 
 by the remark, Grant ? " 
 
 " That a fellow who hadn't spunk enough to 
 protect himself must submit to be insulted, and to 
 be bullied by those who were wiser than he in 
 military matters." 
 
 " I did not mean that, sir," protested Nevers. 
 
 " His looks and his tone indicated it," said 
 .Richard. " And when he was directed to instruct 
 me in the positions, his tone and manner were
 
 168 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 haughty and domineering'. I so understood it> sir; 
 if I am wrong, I am willing to apologize. In the 
 course of the drill he called me a dough-head." 
 
 " Is this true, Nevers ? " 
 
 " It is ; but I did not call him so till I was sat- 
 sfied he did not mean to observe the order. In 
 teaching him the facings, he would not come about 
 till all the others had finished the movement." 
 
 " I wouldn't, if I had been in his place," added 
 the colonel, very much to the astonishment of Rich 
 ard, and very much to the indignation of Nevers. 
 " You know very well that one boy is never per 
 mitted in this school to domineer over another. 
 You took pains beforehand to inform Grant, by 
 your words, and especially by your looks and ac 
 tions, that you meant to haze him, to bully him. 
 As a decent boy, he could not submit to it. Then 
 you called him a dough-head ; which, as Grant 
 suggests, was the heaviest blow that was struck, 
 for it touches a spot which the fist cannot reach 
 Nevers, you commenced the fight." 
 
 " I think not, sir." 
 
 " We don't argue the matter, sir," said the
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHABD GBANT. 169 
 
 colonel, sharply. " One thing more : no pupil is 
 allowed to use ungentlemanly language to another 
 pupil. Obedience to officers who are merely stu 
 dents is purely voluntary. If a boy refuses to obey 
 the officers, he must leave the company. No 
 boy is compelled to go into the ranks. On drill 
 the case is still stronger, Nevers. If the recruit 
 will not obey, it is the duty of the drill officer to 
 report him to the instructor. If you had done so, 
 it would have been Mr. Gault's duty to drill Grant 
 himself." 
 
 Nevers made no reply to these remarks. He 
 cast a savage glance at Richard, who appeared to 
 have conquered him in the forum as well as in 
 the field. 
 
 " Grant, you are also to blame," continued the 
 principal. " We will not permit you to be insulted, 
 bullied, or domineered over. I will protect you, 
 but you must not take the law into your own 
 hands. A blow is not justifiable except in self- 
 defence, or when all other means have failed. You 
 knew it was wrong to strike Nevers." 
 
 " I did not think so, at the time, sir," replied 
 15
 
 170 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 Hichard. " What you have said has changed my 
 view of the matter." 
 
 Nevers sneered at this remark of his antagonist, 
 and Richard saw and felt that * sneer. It was as 
 much as to say that he, Richard, was making his 
 peace with the principal by pretending a penitence 
 he did not feel. It stung him where he was very 
 sensitive, and he was angry. 
 
 While his wrath was boiling, and he was con 
 sidering in what manner he should punish his crest 
 fallen rival for his savage look and his bitter sneer, 
 the parting admonition of Bertha came to his mind, 
 with the promise that he had made to obey the 
 rules of the school. This suggested his big reso 
 lutions to reform his life and character. A brutal 
 fight on the first day of his residence at Tunbrook 
 was not exactly redeeming his solemn promise to 
 Ins sister ; nor was the conquest of Nevers a step 
 towards the conquest of himself. 
 
 Yet, in spite of his promise, and in spite of his 
 resolutions, he could not believe that he had been 
 altogether in the wrong. He thought Colone] 
 Brockridge's views of the case were very sensible :
 
 TKE CONQUEST OF BICHAKD G3ANT. 171 
 
 and while he wished he had not been so hasty in 
 hitting Nevers, he felt, as the principal had sug 
 gested, that his conduct was greatly palliated by 
 the provocation he had received. 
 
 Nevers cast looks of hatred and contempt at 
 him, which stirred his blood deeper than even the 
 words of insults he had received. He came to the 
 conclusion that the bully had not got enough yet, 
 and impulsively he determined to give him some 
 mere at the first convenient opportunity. But when 
 he thought of the promise he had made to Bertha, 
 when he thought of his resolution to conquer him 
 self, he struggled with the temptation, and finally 
 had the strength to say to the malignant demon 
 of hatred and revenge, " Get thee behind me, 
 Satan." The victory was won ; the heart of Rich 
 ard was at peace ; he had actually conquered him 
 self this time. 
 
 " You have both done wrong," said the principal, 
 after a few moments' consideration, during which 
 time Richard had \von a greater and nobler victory 
 than that he had gained in the grove. 
 
 " I am sorry for it," said Richard, and it was
 
 172 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 almost the first time in his life that he bad ac 
 knowledged himself in the wrong. 
 
 Xevers cast a look full of contempt at him 
 when he uttered these words ; but Richard, under 
 the influence of the good angel which had taken 
 possession of his soul, did not permit the look to 
 ruffle him. 
 
 " I will do right, and feel right, this time, if I 
 never did before," said he to himself. 
 
 " Nevers," added the principal, " your warrant as 
 orderly sergeant is withdrawn ; you are reduced to 
 the ranks. You can go, now. Remove those stripes 
 from your arms." 
 
 The sentence was a heavy blow to the bully. 
 For a year he had been trying to obtain promo 
 tion. He wanted a commission. The company 
 officers were elected from the sergeants, and he 
 was confident that he should be chosen captain 
 of Company D at the next election. He had 
 been a sergeant for a year and a half, and would 
 have been a captain if he had not been a bully; 
 for there were enough who disliked him on this 
 account to prevent his election. As the first
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GKANT. 173 
 
 sergeant of the company, he was almost sure that 
 he should be chosen the next time. But his sen 
 tence removed all hope of such preferment. 
 
 " Grant, I believe you are sincerely sorry for 
 what has happened ; but you have done wrong, 
 and you must be punished." 
 
 Richard's anger rose at these words, and he was 
 disposed to resent the idea of being punished for 
 what he had done, -especially after the judge had 
 ruled so decidedly in his favor. 
 
 " I shall order you to be placed under arrest, 
 and to spend the night in the guard house. You 
 will report to me at dress parade. You can go." 
 
 The culprit's lips were compressed, and his teeth 
 were tightly closed. He was angry, for he had 
 expected to be fully justified before the boys for 
 his conduct. An impudent remark trembled on 
 the ei.d of his tongue, but the memory of the con 
 quest he had achieved over himself prevented him 
 from uttering it. 
 
 " I have done wrong, and I have owned that 1 
 was in the wrong. I will submit," said Richard 
 to himself, as he left the office. 
 15*
 
 174 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 "When he went out upon the play ground, he 
 found the boys assembled in groups discussing the 
 exciting event of the day. They gathered around 
 him to learn the result of the trial. 
 
 " Nevers has lost his office, and I am under 
 arrest, to spend the night in the guard house," re 
 plied Richard, in answer to their inquiries. 
 
 " You got off easy," said Bailey. 
 
 " I suppose I did ; at any rate, I am satisfied." 
 
 " Nevers has lost his warrant," exclaimed the 
 boys, who were particularly technical in speaking 
 of military events. " Let's give three cheers." 
 
 " Don't do it," said Richard. " It's a hard case 
 for him." 
 
 " I am glad of it. The bully is down," added 
 one." 
 
 " You licked him well," said another. 
 
 " I am sorry I did," replied Richard. " I didn't 
 understand the matter so well then as I do now. 
 Colonel Brockridge is a trump ! " 
 
 If any of Richard's friends at Woodville had 
 heard this remark, they would have been ready to 
 canonize him at onco, for it was so utterly at
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GRANT. 175 
 
 variance with his style, that his acquaintances would 
 not have recognized it as coming from him. But 
 Richard was engaged in the conquest of himself, 
 and had won two or three important victories. 
 
 The early call for dress parade sounded, and the 
 boys all hasted to the armories to prepare for it. 
 As Richard had no uniform yet, he was excused 
 from serving, and reported himself to the colonel, 
 as he had been ordered. When the parade was 
 finished, the principal delivered a homily on fight 
 ing, stating the facts connected with the combat 
 of that day, and commenting upon them. He con 
 demned fighting in round terms, declaring it was 
 never necessary, except in self-defence. The civil 
 and the social law would protect every member of 
 the community, and there could be no need of 
 resorting to the barbarous custom of settling dif 
 ferences by single combat. He applied the princi 
 ples he laid down to the case before him so 
 clearly, that Richard lost much of his admiration 
 of the "noble art of self-defence" as pugilists 
 stupidly style the act of fighting, to ascertain who 
 is the better min.
 
 176 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 Lest our boy friends should not fully understand 
 as, we must add, that the colonel's views are ours. 
 A boy ought to fight in self-defence ; never to 
 find out which is " the better man." He should 
 use no more violence than is necessary to defend 
 himself. A boy is bound to protect his weak 
 friend not from words, but from blows to the 
 best of his ability, by using blows, when they are 
 necessary. We can excuse, but we cannot justify, 
 the boy who strikes another for insulting his mother 
 or his sister. We believe in a " kiss for a blow," 
 but we also believe that cannon are often the best 
 peacemakers. " Blessed are the peacemakers," but 
 he who permits himself to be unjustly scourged 
 is more truly a fomenter of strife than he who 
 conquers a peace in a good cause by the might of 
 his strong arm. 
 
 At the conclusion of his remarks, Colonel Brock- 
 ridge ordered Richard to be conducted to the 
 guard house, where he was to spend the night. 
 Mr. Gault was directed to see the order executed, 
 and the culprit was marched to the apartment 
 which served as a place of confinement for offenders
 
 THE COXQL'EST OF 1UCHARD GKAXT. 177 
 
 Ho submitted to the punishment with the best 
 grace he could command, but he was mortified and 
 humiliated. 
 
 The guard house was a bugbear to the boys of 
 the Institute. It was a small room, with the 
 mockery of iron bars at the window, placed there 
 more for effect than for any thing else. It con 
 tained a bed and a stool, with no other furniture. 
 But it was regarded as a terrible place by the 
 boys ; not that it was a very great hardship to 
 spend a night there, but because of the disgrace 
 which the popular sentiment of the establishment 
 had attached to the prison. 
 
 Richard entered, and the door was locked upon 
 him. The room was dark, but he was not per 
 mitted to have a light. He seated himself upon 
 the stool, and it was literally the stool of repent 
 ance to him. His supper was brought to him, 
 and the servant stood by with a lamp till he had 
 eattn it He was then left alone for the night, to 
 meditate upon the folly and wickedness of engaging 
 : n a fight without justifiable cause. 
 
 One of the first questions which the hero of the
 
 178 IN SCHOOL AND , TTT, OB 
 
 fight asked himself was, whether he had not too 
 tamely submitted to the authority which had hu 
 miliated and punished him. That he had done so 
 was the most surprising thing he had ever known 
 himself to do. And when he came to ask himself 
 why he had submitted, he could very clearly trace 
 the reason to the good resolution he had made to 
 reform his life and character to conquer himself. 
 It was hard for him to give in, but he was satis 
 fied with himself, and began to feel that he had 
 really made some progress in the great work. 
 
 He wanted to write a letter to Bertha, and tell 
 her all about the events of the day how patiently 
 he had submitted to reproof and punishment ; and 
 record his solemn determination to conquer himself. 
 He had no light, and no materials for writing ; so, 
 at an early hour, he went to bed ; and fatigued 
 with the labors and excitement of the day, he for 
 got in sleep that he was a prisoner. 
 
 At reveille, in he morning, he was discharged 
 from arrest, and ordered to report for duty in the 
 school room. He was still strong in his good reso 
 lutions, and thn sneers and frowns of Nevers arid
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARI) GRANT. 1 79 
 
 his clique did not disturb him did not even tempt 
 him to indulge in the cheap retaliation of sneers 
 and frowns in return. 
 
 In the course of the day Richard found that he 
 tvas a lion. He had thrashed the bully of the 
 school, and won the enviable position of champion 
 of the Insticute. But even this glory did not seem 
 to be worth much ; for since the fight, he realized 
 that he had whipped a bigger fellow than Nevers. 
 
 For a week, in school and out, Richard was true 
 to himself, and behaved nobly. More times than 
 we have room to record, during this period, he got 
 the better of his ever-familiar foe, and every new 
 fictory improved his morale and added to his 
 prestige. 
 
 At this point in his school career, the students 
 were ordered to perform the usual round of tump 
 duty ; and at eight o'clock in the morning, the 
 battalion took up the line of march for the ap 
 pointed place, at the other end of Tunbrook Lake, 
 distant len miles by the rial.
 
 ITU SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 RICHARD DOES GUARD DUTY, AND 18 CAPTURED 
 BY AX ENEMY. 
 
 CAMPING out was a great event at Tunbrook. 
 and the students looked forward to it with pleasant 
 anticipations for weeks. The principal was shrewd 
 in his policy, and no one knew when it would take 
 place till it was announced, only a day or two 
 before the march. By this plan he prevented any 
 diversion of the thoughts from the lessons. Neiti; r 
 did the boys know where they were going when 
 they started. They obeyed the orders which were 
 given from time to time, and even when they halted 
 for the night and pitched their tents, they couM 
 not find out whether they had reached the end of 
 the march or not The colonel told them that 
 soldiers should be taught to obey orders, and cured 
 of all propensity to ask questions.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 181 
 
 The tour of camp duty for the summer term had 
 been almost a continuous march ; and during the 
 campaign of ten days, they had travelled over a 
 hundred miles. Colonel Brockridge was an earnest 
 believer in the necessity of physical development 
 in boys. He was of the opinion that they could 
 stand almost every thing, if they were regularly 
 and systematically inured to hardship. Weak papas 
 and tender mammas raised their hands with horror 
 at the idea of having their Johnny sleep on the 
 ground in a tent, and stick to the camp whether 
 it was fair weather or foul ; but the colonel could 
 adduce hundreds of instances where boys of puny 
 constitutions had become strong and vigorous under 
 this treatment. 
 
 He believed that more boys had been spoiled 
 by being "babied" than ever had been injured in 
 the slightest degree by hardship if military duty, 
 as it was performed at Tunbrook, could be called 
 hardship. It was very certain that the boys en 
 joyed camping out ; and if a few of them sneezed 
 or coughed after their return, tbese were not 
 regarded as fatal symptoms. 
 16
 
 182 IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 Richard was in his element when the school 
 jvas put upon its muscle. Though nothing but a 
 private in Company D, and subject to the orders 
 of his inferiors in body and mind, he performed 
 his duty cheerfully, and enjoyed it very much. 
 After Nevers had been cured of his folly, there was 
 not another boy in the establishment who had the 
 hardihood or the desire to impose upon him. 
 
 Every thing was done with military order and 
 precision on the morning that the battalion marched 
 from the Institute. Though the reader knows where 
 the) were going, not an officer or a private had a 
 suspicion of their destination ; and none but a few 
 of the new comers asked the question, or appeared 
 to care. In front of the battalion was the band, 
 and behind it came the wagons containing the 
 tents, baggage, and pontoon train. The principal 
 and the instructors were scattered along the line, 
 where they could superintend the operations of the 
 column. 
 
 Major Morgan, in command of the battalion, had 
 evidently received instructions for a portion of tho 
 Jay ; for, without any direction from the teachers,
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 183 
 
 be led his command over the road to the grove, 
 and in fifteen minutes after they started, the order 
 to halt was given. The battalion stood rigid as a 
 stake where they were ordered, and presently the 
 engineer corps was detached for duty. The pontoon 
 wagon was brought up, and unloaded by the side 
 of the river. The boats, which were of rubber, 
 were inflated, and the business of building a bridge 
 across the stream was commenced. 
 
 Every thing was so nicely prepared that th<. 
 work was accomplished in an incredibly short space 
 af time. The battalion, followed by its wagons, 
 crossed the pontoon bridge, the boats and the 
 planks were taken up and loaded upon the wagon 
 again, and the troops were ready to march. Neither 
 Colonel Brockridge nor any of the instructors had 
 spoken a word during these operations, for the 
 engineers had been thoroughly trained in their diffi 
 cult duty. 
 
 For an hour the battalion marched without stop 
 ping. The orders " shoulder arms," " support arms," 
 " right shoulder shift " relieved them occasionally ; 
 but some legs began to ache before a halt was
 
 184 IN SCHOOL AND QT7T, OR 
 
 permitted. During the next hour they marched 
 most of the way with the " route step." At twelve 
 o'clock they halted for dinner and an hour's rest. 
 The haversacks of the soldiers had been filled with 
 crackers and cold ham, and they had a jolly din 
 ner in a grove where they stopped. 
 
 About four o'clock in the afternoon, they reached 
 the upper end of the lake, and the orders neces 
 sary for forming a camp were given. The tents 
 were pitched, the boundaries of the camp marked 
 out, and a detail for guard duty was made from 
 each company. Every thing proceeded precisely as 
 it would if they had been old soldiers, and engaged 
 in the actual business of war. 
 
 Richard was one of those who had been detailed 
 from Company D, for guard duty. The camp 
 ground was a large, open plain, bordering on one 
 side upon a dense forest. The night was dark and 
 dismal, and at nine o'clock Richard found himself 
 walking his lonely beat, on the verge of (he forest. 
 There was a novelty about the situation that was 
 very attractive to him, and as he walked his soli 
 tary round, he actually enjoyed it. It was nof; tc
 
 TlfE CONQUEST OF EICHAED GRANT. 185 
 
 all probable that an enemy, or even a straggler, 
 would disturb the quiet of the scene by attempting 
 to pass the line ; but though the guard had been 
 commanded to be vigilant, he had abundant time 
 and opportunity for reflection and castle-building. 
 
 Our sentinel had imbibed much of the spirit of 
 the soldier, from the martial exercise to which he 
 had been trained, and he indulged in some pretty 
 visions of military glory. They were very pleasant 
 and very alluring at that time, when the country 
 was enjoying profound peace. Even the politicians, 
 who ^'ere compromising with difficulties, present 
 and future, never dreamed chat the war blast would 
 sound through the land in their day and genera 
 tion, and were unbelievers in the dire prophecies 
 which they uttered. While Richard's fancy led 
 him to scenes of blood and glory on the battle 
 field, he little thought that an opportunity would 
 so soon be presented for the practical application 
 of his military knowledge, and for the indulgence 
 of his military ambition. 
 
 While he was dreaming of war and glory, while 
 in imagination he was leading battalions of brave 
 16*
 
 186 IN SCHOOL AXD OTTT OK 
 
 men co battle and victory, his reflections were dis 
 turbed by the approach of a squad of boys. It 
 was so dark that he did not see them till they 
 were within a few rods of him. It was evident 
 that they had left the terits by stealth, and must 
 have crept some portion of the way on the ground 
 to escape observation. When they came near 
 enough to be challenged, the guard called out, 
 
 " Who comes there ? " 
 
 " Friends," replied one of the party. 
 
 " Advance, one friend, and give the countersign." 
 
 One of them stepped forward, and Richard held 
 him at bay with his bayonet, according to military 
 custom. 
 
 " I declare, I have forgotten the countersign," 
 said he. 
 
 " Then I will call the corporal of the guard." 
 
 " No ; hold on a minute. I shall think of it in 
 a moment." 
 
 "Richard was willing to give him a fair chance, 
 as there was no enemy in the vicinity who could 
 possibly intend to capture the battalion. But while 
 he was waiting, the fellow suddenly grasped hie
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 187 
 
 musket, and attempted to wrest it from his hands. 
 But this was a game at which two could play as 
 well as one ; and Richard, instead of giving the 
 alarm, as he should have done, threw himself upon 
 his muscle, and attempted to beat off his assailants. 
 The rest of the party immediately came to the 
 assistance of the fellow, and, after a short but 
 sharp struggle,, the sentinel was overpowered, and 
 his gun taken from him. At the conclusion of the 
 struggle Richard found himself upon his back, on 
 the ground, held down by the whole squad of 
 boys, or as many as could get hold of him. One 
 of them held a handkerchief over his mouth, so 
 'that he could not give the alarm, now that he 
 found it necessary to do so. 
 
 Richard supposed this rough treatment could be 
 nothing more than a practical joke one of those 
 tricks played off upon raw recruits, to teach them 
 the necessity of vigilance, and a nice observance 
 of the rules of the service. When he was over- 
 powered, therefore, he submitted to his fate, what 
 ever it might prove to be, hoping his captors would 
 relax their hold upon him just long enough to
 
 188 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 enable him to turn the tables upon them ; for he 
 was vain enough to believe that he could whip 
 the whole dozen of them, if he could only have 
 fair play 
 
 " Let him up, now, and we will tie his hands 
 behind him," said one of the party, in a feigned 
 voice, to prevent the victim from recognizing the 
 speaker. 
 
 " But he will halloo, if we let him up," replied 
 the one who had answered his challenge, and whose 
 voice Richard could not identify. 
 
 " I'll stop his mouth, if he hallooes," added the 
 first speaker. " I'll hit him over the head with the 
 butt of his musket." 
 
 "No, no," said the other; "you'll kill him. 
 We don't want to injure him." 
 
 " I do ; I wouldn't mind cracking his skull for 
 him." 
 
 " No, no ; we shall get into trouble ourselves if 
 we do any thing of that kind." 
 
 Richird thought they would any way, as soon 
 as he could obtain the use of his arms. He felt 
 so well qualified to take care of himself that he
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 189 
 
 have been willing to give his bond not to 
 halloo, or call any one to his assistance, though 
 he could not help wondering that the sentinels 
 whose beats were next to his own, did not arrive 
 at the scene of operations. It was evident to him 
 that they were asleep on their posts, or that they 
 were accomplices of the conspirators. 
 
 " Now, get up,'' said the speaker, who used the 
 disguised voice. 
 
 Richard promptly obeyed this order, and though 
 several of the boys held on to him as he rose, a ter 
 rible struggle ensued, in which the captured sentinel 
 almost made good his mental boast ; but they were 
 too many for him, and his hands were tied behind 
 him with a knapsack strap, in spite of his best 
 exertions to shake them off. 
 
 " I told you he would be a hard customer," said 
 one, who had not before spoken. 
 
 " Shut up, you ninny ! You '11 blow the whole 
 of us. No fellow is to speak but you know 
 whom," said he with the assumed voice. 
 
 Richard tried to obtain, in the thick darkness 
 that shrouded them, some clew which would enable
 
 190 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 him to identify the ruffians ; but he could not make 
 out any thing peculiar in their form or motions to 
 guide him, and he was equally at fault in regard 
 to the voices. He stood quiet when he found that 
 resistance was useless ; but he determined to keep 
 a sharp lookout for an opportunity to release him 
 self from his mortifying situation. 
 
 "Now, you " 
 
 " My name is Dobbin," added the false voice. 
 
 Richard did not remember any such name, though 
 he had heard the roll called in all the companies, 
 and he concluded that it was a " blind," to deceive 
 him. 
 
 " Now, Dobbin, take him off, and we will settle 
 the case in the woods." 
 
 " Lead the way, Kennedy, and we will follow ; 
 but be careful and not make a noise." 
 
 " Hush ! " said Dobbin ; " somebody is coming." 
 
 "Grand rounds!" added Kennedy. "Hurry him 
 off as "quick as you can. Stuff a handkerchief in 
 his mouth ; choke him if he attempts to cry out." 
 
 *' But they will miss him," suggested Dobbin, 
 u and then there will be a row and a search."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 191 
 
 " OS with him ! Off with him ! We shall all 
 get caught," whispered Kennedy. " I will take his 
 gun, and keep guard." 
 
 Richard was literally dragged from the spot, and 
 the fellow who called himself Kennedy though that 
 was not his name took the musket of the defeated 
 sentinel, and began to travel his beat as regularly 
 as though he had been duly detailed. 
 
 " Who comes there ? " demanded he, as the 
 officer of the day, attended by a sergeant and two 
 men, approached his beat. 
 
 " Grand rounds," replied the sergeant. 
 
 " Halt, grand rounds ! Advance, sergeant, with 
 the countersign." 
 
 The sergeant advanced to give the countersign, 
 without discovering that he had been challenged 
 by the wrong man. 
 
 " Bennington," said the sergeant, giving the word 
 appointed for the night. 
 
 " Advance, rounds ! " added Kennedy, as he 
 placed himself in the proper position. 
 
 The officer of the day passed on with his attend 
 ants, and as soon as the ceremony had been
 
 192 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 repeated with the next sentinel, Kennedy threw th< 
 musket upon the ground, and followed his com 
 panions into the forest. Taking a road which led 
 into the wood, he soon overtook the rest of the 
 party. 
 
 Richard was very curious to find out what his 
 captors intended to do with him ; for he could not 
 even yet believe that any thing more serious than 
 a practical joke was intended. He was not con 
 scious that he had an enemy in the battalion, with 
 the exception of Nevers, who, though he had be 
 stowed a great many sneers and looks of hatred 
 upon him during the week that had elapsed since 
 the fight, had betrayed no intention to seek revenge 
 for his defeat in fair fight. He knew that' Nevers 
 hated him, but he could not believe that he would 
 resort to such underhand measures as the conspira 
 tors had adopted. 
 
 "What are you going to do?" asked he, after 
 Kennedy had joined them. 
 
 " Shut up ! You will find out soon enough." 
 
 Richard tried to open a conversation with them, 
 but they were too wary to talk, and no one spoke
 
 THE CONUtJEST OF KICHABD GRANT. 193 
 
 except Dobbin and Kennedy. They conducted their 
 prisoner half a mile, as he judged, from the 
 camp, when they halted, and fastened Richard to 
 a tree, seating themselves upon logs and stumps. 
 The captive waited impatiently for the proceed 
 ings to commence. 
 17
 
 194 Iir SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 .RICHARD FINDS HIMSELF IN THE HANDS OF THE 
 REGULATORS. 
 
 " COME, fellows, we have no time to spare," 
 said Kennedy, when the party were seated, and 
 Richard fastened to the tree. " We must finish 
 this business at once." 
 
 " We are all ready," replied Dobbin. 
 
 " Ready for what ? " demanded Richard. 
 
 " Ready to settle your case. We are going to 
 give you the biggest licking you ever had in your 
 life." 
 
 The prisoner thought this was rather doubtful ; 
 but as they could not be supposed to have any 
 knowledge of the thrashing inflicted upon him by 
 " Old Batterbones," he was willing to excuse any 
 exaggerations of which they might be guilty. 
 When the yourg ruffian spoke of flogging him,
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAED GHANT. 195 
 
 Richard could not help recalling the incident at 
 the barn of the farmer on the Hudson. Then he 
 was guilty, now he was innocent ; and his feelings 
 on the present occasion were as different from 
 those of the former one as light is from darkness. 
 
 He had been captured while in the discharge of 
 his duty, and was not conscious that he had given 
 his assailants any cause of offence. He could not 
 explain how it happened that he was not angry. 
 He did not chafe in the bonds that confined him. 
 The consciousness of being innocent of all offence 
 before his comrades, sustained and supported him ; 
 and he felt a kind of proud superiority over hia 
 .captors, which placed him out of the reach of 
 fear, and even out of the reach of malice and 
 revenge. 
 
 Richard was a courageous boy ; he had been so 
 in his foolish and vicious enterprises ; but he was 
 doubly so now, when his soul was free from the 
 stain of transgression. He did not borrow any 
 trouble about what his persecutors intended to do, 
 though he felt a very natural curiosity to see the 
 end of the adventure.
 
 196 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " Go on,'' replied Richard, calmly, as the spokes 
 man of the party anounced their intentions. 
 
 " Shall we tell him what for ? Shall we try 
 him ? " asked Kennedy. 
 
 " Yes ; let us give him a drum-head court mar 
 tial. The licking won't do him any good if he 
 don't know what it is for," replied Dobbin. 
 
 " Grant," said Kennedy, with the solemnity of 
 a judge, " you have ruined the best fellow in 
 Company D." 
 
 " He ruined himself," replied Richard. 
 
 " No, he didn't. Of what you did in fair fight in 
 the grove, we haven't a word to say. But you have 
 prejudiced the colonel against him, and caused him 
 to be deprived of his warrant, which will prevent 
 him from obtaining his commission at the next 
 election. You set yourself up as a leader among 
 the fellows before you had been a week in the 
 school. Have you any thing to say ? " 
 
 " Nothing, except that all your charges are false," 
 answered Richard ; and if there had been light 
 enough to see it, a smile M'ould have been dis 
 covered upon his countenance.
 
 TOTS CONQUEST OF EICHARD GKANT. 197 
 
 " In the interview with the principal, you pre 
 tended to be a saint, and to be sorry for what 
 you had done. You did not stand up like a man, 
 and take the consequences of your acts." 
 
 " Go on ; I have nothing to say," added llich- 
 ard, when the speaker paused. 
 
 " You are a dangerous fellow in the school. 
 You intend to climb up yourself by pushing others 
 down. We won't submit to it." 
 
 " What are you going to do ? " coolly asked the 
 prisoner. 
 
 " We are going to thrash you, as you deserve." 
 
 " You are brave fellows ! " sneered Richard 
 " What you are afraid to do in the daylight, with 
 fair play, you do by stealth and trickery in the night. 
 You are a set of cowards, and if you will untie my 
 hands I will whip the whole of you." 
 
 " That is very fine talk, Grant," said Kennedy, 
 " but it don't amount to any thing." 
 
 " No talk is necessary to prove your cowardly 
 meanness. Go on, and do your best. I am not 
 afraid of the whole of you, even with my hands 
 tied behind me. I despise the whole of you," 
 17*
 
 198 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 " We will give you a chance to escape." 
 
 " I don't ask any chance to escape." 
 
 " Grant, you talk like a fool." 
 
 " Better be a fool than a knave and a coward." 
 
 " We don't want to hurt you. There are fel 
 lows enough in our crowd to make Tunbrook In 
 stitute too hot to hold you. We advise you to 
 write to your father, advising him to send you to 
 some other school. Will you do so ? " 
 
 " I will not," replied Richard, promptly. 
 
 " Then you must take the consequences. We 
 are organized, and we are determined that you shall 
 leave. If you ask your father, and insist upon it, 
 no doubt he will take you away." 
 
 " Very likely he would," added Richard, " but I 
 shall not ask him to do so." 
 
 " You plainly don't understand what is in store 
 for you. Our plans are well laid, and we have 
 been through the same mill once before. A fellow 
 about your size, and one who could fight as well 
 as you do, had to leave about a year ago. He 
 undertook to be a leader before his time came. 
 We hunted him out, as we shall you."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF E1CHAED GBANT. 199 
 
 " When you hunt me out, I will go, but not 
 till then." 
 
 " Grant, this is all idle talk on your part. You 
 don't understand your situation. We can count 
 up fifty fellows belonging to our association. We 
 can drive out any fellow who makes himself ob 
 noxious. We mean to be fair, and we are willing 
 that any fellow who works his way up should have 
 all the honors he wins. But do you suppose we 
 fellows, who have been here two or three years, 
 and who have worked ourselves up, are going to 
 step one side for a fellow who has been here only 
 a week or two ? " 
 
 " Who asks you to step aside ? " demanded Rich 
 ard, indignantly, for this show of fair play had 
 touched him in a tender spot, and in spite of him- 
 Belf he began to be interested in the argument. 
 
 " You do ; you have licked the best fellow in 
 the school, and then you begin to play saint, and 
 curry favor with the colonel. You mean to load, 
 and not follow." 
 
 " I mean to be and do just what circumstance/! 
 require."
 
 200 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " Grant, there is no such thing as misunder 
 standing your position. What your looks indicate 
 is more than all you may say with your mouth, or 
 do with your hands. You are a dangerous fellow, 
 and you must leave, or compromise." 
 
 " What do you mean by compromise ? " 
 
 " We'll let you stay if you will keep in your 
 proper position." 
 
 " What is my proper position ? " 
 
 " At the foot of the ladder, of course, till the 
 fellows above you have got out of the way." 
 
 " You mean Nevers ? " 
 
 " Nevers and others." 
 
 " I will agree to no such compromise. All the 
 officers, I am informed, are chosen by ballot." 
 
 " They are." 
 
 " Then, of course, the fellows can choose whom 
 they please." 
 
 " They can ; and since you have whipped Nevers, 
 they will elect you ; and those who have done 
 their duty for two or three years must go into 
 the shade. If you will agree to step one side, wa 
 will promise to let you alone. Will you do it ? "
 
 THE CONQUEST OF HICHAKD GKANT. 20] 
 
 " I will not." 
 
 " Mind what you do, for if the ' Regulators' make 
 war upon you, they will drive you out." 
 
 " The what ? " 
 
 " The Regulators. They are a secret society for 
 certain purposes. It is a powerful organization, 
 Grant, I can tell you. If you will do the right 
 thing, we will take you in." 
 
 " No you won't. I'm not to be taken in by any 
 such bait," replied Richard, who was disposed to 
 laugh at the ridiculous association that had taken 
 upon itself the duty of regulating the affairs of the 
 Tunbrook Institute. 
 
 " You may sneer as much as you please. Every 
 fellow in the school knows there is such a society, 
 but no one but members can tell who belong to 
 it. We mean to have fair play in this institution, 
 and we have never yet failed in getting it." 
 
 " Come, Kennedy, you will talk all night," said 
 Dobbin. " You can't do any thing with him." 
 
 " Well, Grant, you may leave, compromise, or 
 take the consequences. Which will you do ? '* 
 
 " I will not leave ; and I certainly will not com-
 
 202 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 promise on the terms named. I mean to behave 
 myself like a man, while I am here. If any one 
 is a better fellow than I am, I will step one side 
 for him, as I must. If any fellow gets above me 
 in the class, I will not complain, or attempt to 
 pull him down. If the fellows think I am fit to 
 be a sergeant, or a captain, or a corporal, I shall 
 abide their decision. I won't pull any fellow down, 
 or be pulled down myself. I think the Regulators 
 are a mean, dirty, cowardly set of bullies, who 
 mean to build themselves up by pulling others 
 down. Let every fellow be judged by his own 
 merits. That's my opinion. Now you can do what 
 you please." 
 
 And they did do what they pleased, though it 
 was evident the Regulators were not accustomed to 
 deal with so stubborn a subject. At the word 
 from Kennedy, who seemed to be the chief of the 
 society, the whole band fell upon Richard with 
 sticks which they had cut in the woods, and gave 
 him a most unmerciful beating. The prisoner bore 
 it with silent disdain. He felt that the cause is
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRA VT. 203 
 
 which he was engaged was a good one, and he 
 did not flinch from the penalty of fidelity. 
 
 At the word from the chief, they suspended the 
 flagellation, and Kennedy again attempted to bring 
 him to terms by argument, but it was in vain. 
 
 " Very well," said he, evidently disappointed at 
 the ill success of the reasoning process. " This is 
 only the first installment of what is your due. 
 When any thing goes wrong with you, when you 
 get into a scrape, when you find the ushers and 
 the colonel down upon you, just understand that 
 the Regulators are round. You have fifty enemies 
 now, instead of one, as you had two hours ago." 
 
 " That's all, Kennedy ; don't say any more," in 
 terposed Dobbin, impatiently. " Let's take him 
 back now. He will find out the rest of it fast 
 enough." 
 
 If Richard could have heard the conversation 
 among the Regulators before they waited upon him, 
 he might have been flattered by the complimentary 
 manner in which his name was handled. His tal 
 ents and his muscle, no less than his growing 
 popularity, were appreciated by the band, and it
 
 201 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 vras more desirable to win him than it was to drive 
 him out. They knew what a valuable acquisition 
 he wo ild be to their number. But he must stand 
 one side, and wait for his turn before he aspired to 
 become a leader. 
 
 The Regulators, using the utmost caution, un 
 loosed the prisoner, and marched him back to the 
 camp. When they reached the line, they threw 
 him upon the ground. While one of the largest 
 of them, having all the advantage, held him there, 
 the others disappeared in the darkness. The fellow 
 that held him then removed the strap from the 
 arms of the captive, and bounded away as fast as 
 his legs would carry him. 
 
 Richard jumped up as quick as he could and 
 gave chase. But the Regulator had the start of 
 him, and the pursuit was useless. The victim re 
 turned to his beat, felt round upon the ground till 
 he found his gun, picked it up, and resumed his 
 solitary walk. He was a little confused by the 
 events which had transpired, and he was forced to 
 acknowledge that the Regulators had managed theii 
 business with consummate address and skill. He
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 205 
 
 hardly knew what to make of the affair. He knew 
 that he had been whipped ; this fact was stifl 
 patent to his consciousness in the tingling sensa 
 tion that played over his legs. 
 
 The whole thing seemed very much like an illu 
 sion. It was almost too strange and ridiculous to 
 be credited, and he could not help considering 
 whether he had not actually been walking in his 
 sleep this time. The Regulators appeared, to his 
 sober senses, to be the most absurd institution 
 ever invented by the mischievous brain of a boy. 
 Yet he could not disbelieve the evidence of his 
 senses, and especially of his smarting legs, and he 
 was compelled to admit that the society actually 
 existed ; though there was a remote possibility that 
 the whole affair was a practical joke, devised by 
 Xevers and his clique. 
 
 We have before intimated, in the course of this 
 story, that Richard Grant was an " old head." lie 
 had a very tolerable conception of the principles 
 of strategy ; therefore he did not do as most boys 
 would have done make a tremendous row over the 
 occurrences of the night. He decided that it would 
 18
 
 206 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 be politic for him to keep both eyes and both 
 ears open, while he kept his mouth closed. By 
 this course he hoped to obtain a clew to the mys 
 tery, and thus eventually to make the daylight 
 shine in upon the dark proceedings of the Regu 
 lators. 
 
 " Where have you been this hour ? " demanded 
 the sentinel, whose beat was next to his own, when 
 they met. 
 
 " I haven't been far off," replied Richard ; " that 
 is, not more than half a mile off," he added, in a 
 tone so low that his companion could not hear him. 
 
 " I understand. You have been taking a nap." 
 
 " 'Pon my word, I haven't." 
 
 " But you have ; I haven't seen you before for 
 an hour." 
 
 " I haven't been asleep." 
 
 " Honor bright, Grant, haven't you ? " asked his 
 companion, good naturedly. 
 
 " No, I haven't." 
 
 " Where were you when the grand rounds were 
 made?" 
 
 ** I was close by."
 
 THE COVO.TJEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 207 
 
 " Of course you were, or you would have "been 
 missed," added his neighbor, as he turned on his 
 Keel and made off. 
 
 Richard thought he was very easily satisfied, 
 and he wondered if he wasn't a member of the 
 scciet band of Regulators. Our sentinel marched 
 to the other end of his beat. His neighbor on 
 this side had missed him, but he was as easily 
 jatisfied as the other had been, and Richard won 
 dered whether he was not a Regulator. 
 
 While he was musing upon the extraordinary 
 events of the night, the relief came round, and 
 he was marched to the guard tent, where, for four 
 hours, he had an opportunity to dream of the 
 Regulators, and their secret management of the 
 affaire of the Tunbrook Institute.
 
 208 IK SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 BICHARD BECOMES FIRST SERGEANT OF COMPANY B. 
 
 THE next mormng Richard was discharged from 
 guard duty, and returned to the battalion. From 
 the moment he opened his eyes he carefully ob 
 served the actions of his companions, and even 
 studied the glances which were bestowed upon him. 
 All his watching seemed to be in vain, for he could 
 not obtain a particle of information that would aid 
 him in solving the mystery of the Regulators. 
 
 Among the boys there were several with whom 
 he had become quite intimate, particularly Bailey, 
 who occupied the next bed to his in Bairack B. So 
 eager was he to fathom the mystery, that he was 
 tempted to make some inquiries of them ; but they 
 might themselves be members of the Regulators. 
 Even Bailey might belong to the potent organization, 
 and he did not care to expose himself in the slightest
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 20 
 
 degree to their jeers or their malice. Though, as he 
 had been informed, there were fifty boys who had 
 become his enemies, and who were pledged to annoy 
 him to the utmost of their ability, every one seemed 
 to be his friend. 
 
 Hardly had he been discharged from guard duty 
 Defore his arrest was ordered, and he found himself 
 accused of sleeping at his post. ^He was conducted 
 to the tent of Colonel Brockridge, where the charge 
 was distinctly recited to him. 
 
 " What do you say to this charge, Grant ? Are 
 you guilty or not guilty ? " demanded the principal. 
 " Who are my accusers, sir ? " asked Richard, 
 thinking only of the task he had laid upon himself 
 of discovering the Regulators. 
 
 " That does not answer my question, Grant. 1 
 asked you whether you were guilty or not guilty," 
 added the colonel, sternly. 
 
 " Not guilty, sir 1 " replied Richard, promptly and 
 flrmly. 
 
 " Then you wish to have the charge proved ? " 
 
 " I do, sir." 
 
 "That is rather inconvenient," said the colonel, 
 
 18'
 
 210 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 biting his lip. " If you are guilty, I should prefei 
 to have you 3ay so." 
 
 " I am not guilty, sir." 
 
 Colonel Brockridge had had too much experience 
 with boys to neglect the looks and actions of the 
 accused while he questioned him, for the' expression 
 often reveals more than the words. Richard's com 
 munication, on this occasion, was " yea, yea ; nay, 
 nay." He had the look of one who speaks the truth, 
 and the principal was duly impressed by the appear 
 ance and manner of the prisoner. 
 
 " You speak very decidedly," added the colonel. 
 *' Were you at your post at half past nine o'clock?" 
 
 " I was not, sir." 
 
 " "Where were you ? " 
 
 Richard hesitated ; there were several teachers 
 and several company officers present. He did not 
 like to tell the story before them, and he did not 
 think it would be prudent to do so. Probably some 
 of the Regulators were within hearing, and he pre 
 ferred to unearth them in some other way. 
 
 "Your answer, Grant," said the principal. 
 
 " Without intending any disrespect to you, sir, I
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 211 
 
 \vould rather not answer," replied Richard, glancing 
 at the officers present. 
 
 A slight curl on the lip of a cadet by the name of 
 Hodman attracted his attention. It was a kind of 
 bi-.ppressed sneer, which Richard interpreted that he 
 dared not expose the doings of the secret society. 
 His answer had been a virtual admission of the 
 charge, and the case seemed to have gone against 
 him. Richard concluded that the boy who could re 
 joice at that moment must be a Regulator. 
 
 " The penalty of sleeping at your post and desert 
 ing it would be the same ; and as you admit the 
 charge in substance, it will not be necessary to pro 
 ceed any further," said Colonel Brockridge. 
 
 Richard was tempted to make a full explanation 
 of the events of the night, but he had some doubts 
 whether he would be believed if he did so. Besides, 
 he was curious to know what the Regulators would 
 do. The penalty for the offence with which he was 
 charged could not be very heavy, and he determined 
 to submit to it, for the purpose of exposing the Reg- 
 ilatcrs at some future time. 
 
 The principal then gave him a lecture on the im-
 
 2J2 IN SCHOOL AXD OTJ1 . OR 
 
 propriety of deserting his post, when placed on guard, 
 explaining the consequences that might result from 
 such unfaithfulness in time of war. Richard listened 
 patiently to the reproof, and was sentenced to be con 
 fined in the guard tent for twenty-four hours. 
 
 Richard possessed his soul in patience, and slept 
 off a good portion of his imprisonment. He devoted 
 all his wakeful hours to a consideration of the doings 
 of the Regulators, and in devising plans for " venti 
 lating" their secret proceedings. 
 
 When he was relieved from arrest, and permitted 
 to join his comrades, he kept a close watch upon Red 
 man, and also upon the two privates who had been 
 next to him in the line on guard. They must have 
 been his accusers, and he was satisfied that they 
 belonged to the obnoxious association. Nevers, no 
 doubt, was also a member, and he believed him to 
 be the " Dobbin " of the party that had whipped 
 him. Here were four whom he suspected, and dur 
 ing the week the battalion remained in camp, theii 
 words and their actions were carefully scanned ; but 
 they were too adroit to expose themselves, though 
 Richard's close scrutiny was not entirely fruitless.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKH GRANT. 215. 
 
 Our soldier entered heartily into the spirit of the 
 occasion, and performed his duty with the utmost 
 fidelity. Though he was made the victim of various 
 petty tricks, such as smearing the stock of his mus 
 ket with grease, cutting the straps of his knapsack, 
 and hiding his blanket, he bore all these things 
 with politic patience, and treated his comrades with 
 the most scrupulous fairness. He w r as the champion 
 of the weak, and, being the conqueror of Nevers, no 
 one ventured to carry their opposition to his will be 
 yond a few respectful words. He would not let a 
 small boy be insulted or bullied ; and a frown from 
 him was generally a sufficient protection. He was 
 foremost in all the sports of the boys, and every day 
 increased his popularity. 
 
 If the Regulators said or did any thing to his 
 injury, they did it very slyly, for Richard could not 
 discover that there was any one who was not his 
 friend. On the last day of the encampment, the 
 election of officers was to take place, and during ihe 
 week, of course there was a great deal of electioneer 
 ing done for various candidates. 
 
 On the da}- before the election, a petition was cir-
 
 214 IX SCHOOL AXD OUT, OR 
 
 culated among the boys, requesting the principal to 
 reinstate Nevers in the office from which he had been 
 degraded. There were about fifty names on the 
 paper when Bailey brought it to Richard. It was 
 not verj favorably received by the boys generally. 
 Nobody could tell when or where the fifty names had 
 been obtained ; no one had seen the signers place 
 their autographs upon the document. Richard heard 
 Bailey and a dozen others refuse to sign it, and some 
 of them even proposed to get up a remonstrance. 
 
 " I am going to sign the petition," said Richard, 
 to the astonishment of his companions. 
 
 " You, Grant ? " exclaimed a dozen boys, in the 
 same breath. 
 
 " I am ; just to show the fellows that I bear him 
 no ill will," replied Richard. " Nevers was degraded 
 for that affair with me ; and, as I licked him, I think 
 I can afford to do the handsome thing." 
 
 " Then he will be elected captain of Company D," 
 said Bailey. 
 
 " I don't know about that," added Richard. " I 
 am willing to see him restored to the place he was in 
 before I came, but I shall not give him my vote for 
 captain, or any thing else."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF lUCIlAKD GRANT. 215 
 
 The victim of the Regulators took out his pencil 
 and wrote his name upon the petition. Though he 
 fully believed that Nevers was the " Dobbin " of th? 
 party that had assaulted him, he could not prove it 
 and he was disposed to give him a fair chance, so 
 that neither he nor his friends should have any good 
 ground for complaint. His example was followed 
 by all the boys present, and from that moment 
 the number of names on the paper increased very 
 rapidly. 
 
 At dress parade, Colonel Brockridge, to whom the 
 petition had been presented early in the afternoon, 
 called Nevers forward, and after a few remarks, 
 restored him to his former position as first sergeant of 
 Company D, observing at the same time that the 
 name of Richard Grant on the paper had had more 
 influence upon his mind than that of all the others. 
 It was a magnanimous act, which he heartily approved. 
 
 " Three cheers for Xevcrs ! " shouted some friend 
 of the first sergeant, when the company broke ranks. 
 
 They were given, but it was only a partial demon 
 stration, evidently confined to about a dozen of the 
 company.
 
 216 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " Three cheers for Grant ! " said Bailey, when 'hose 
 for the first sergeant had been given. 
 
 The call was promptly responded to, and though 
 the cheers seemed to proceed from the entire com 
 pany, there were probably about a dozen who did not 
 join. 
 
 " Tiger ! " added Bailey, with an earnestness that 
 assured Richard he was not a member of the Regu 
 lators. 
 
 The "tiger" was added, together with a volley 
 of applause by clapping the hands. Richard's posi 
 tion in Company D was not to be doubted, and the 
 Regulators present must have felt that their influence 
 was not very powerful. 
 
 On the following day they had a further proof of 
 the popularity of Richard, and if they had not been 
 very stupid, they might have seen that he had more 
 influence than the whole band of Regulators put to 
 gether. On the first ballot in Company D, the first 
 lieutenant was elected captain ; the second sergeant 
 was elected first lieutenant. The second lieutenant 
 was believed to be a strong friend of Nevers, and no 
 promotion was awarded to him.
 
 THE COXQDEST OF BICHAED GRANT. 217 
 
 Richard Grant was elected second sergeant, and 
 when the vote was declared, the result was greeted 
 \\ith a round of hearty applause. The other places 
 were all filled, as the inclination of the majority dic 
 tated, subject only to the healthy rules of the Insti 
 tute. If there had been no limit to the choice of the 
 boys, we have no doubt their favorite would have 
 been elected captain. 
 
 The face of Xovers was as dark as a thunder cloud 
 after the election. The remark of Richard that he 
 would not vote for him had been circulated through 
 the company, and had been influential in defeating 
 the aspirations of the first sergeant. Xevers knew 
 very well that he owed his defeat and his restoration 
 to his rival, whom he hated with ten fold greater 
 vigor than before hated him for what he had done, 
 and hated him for what he had left undone. 
 
 Of course, Richard felt very good-natured, and 
 snapped his fingers at the Regulators. He sat upon 
 a stool alone after supper, thinking of his good for 
 tune, and congratulating himself upon the skill with 
 which he had conquered his enemies. He was satis 
 fied that in being true to himself he had won the 
 19
 
 213' IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 respect and confidence of his companions. The good 
 resolutions he had successfully carried cut had ren 
 dered him worth} of the favor bestowed upon him. 
 In conquering himself he had conquered others. 
 
 While Richard sat on the stool thinking of the 
 pleasant events of the day, and perhaps wondering 
 how long it would be before he became the major 
 of the battalion, his vanquished rival sauntered up 
 to him, his face still looking dark and malignant. 
 
 " You have beaten me again, Grant," said he, 
 sourly, " but your day will come soon." 
 
 " Eh, Dobbin ? " replied Richard, with a good-na 
 tured smile, as he glanced at his fellow-sergeant. 
 
 " What's that ? " growled Nevers. " What do 
 you mean by calling me Dobbin r " 
 
 Richard was satisfied from the appearance of Nevers, 
 that the name was not wholly unfamiliar to his ears. 
 It was the first time he had ever ventured to hint at 
 the proceedings of his first night in camp ; and it 
 was the first time that his rival had ever dared to 
 speak to him in a surly tone. 
 
 " If you don't understand it, no matter," added 
 Richard, with a merry twinkle of the eye.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KtCHABD GKANT. 219 
 
 " If )ou call me by that, or any other improper 
 name, you shall suffer for it." 
 
 " How many of you will it take to punish me for 
 it, eh, Dobbin ?" 
 
 " Dobbin again r" 
 
 " Do you know a fellow by the name of Ken 
 nedy ? " added Richard. " If you don't, I'll intro 
 duce you some day." 
 
 Xcvers concluded that Richard was a tough cus 
 tomer, and he made no further allusion to any suffer 
 ing in store for his defiant rival. But Richard's 
 taunt about Kennedy, and his promises to introduce 
 him, were not pleasant to the bully, and he walked 
 away. He feared that the victim had been making 
 dangerous discoveries. 
 
 On the following morning the battalion took \ip 
 the line of march for the Institute, and arrived 
 without incident or accident ; and" that night the 
 boys exchanged the hard ground for the iron bed 
 steads in the barracks.
 
 TIC SCHOOL AND OUT. OH 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 BICHARD GIVES THE TUNBROOKERS A LESSON 
 IN BOATING. 
 
 AMONG the favorite recreations of the cadets of 
 Ihe Tunbrook Military Institute was that of boat 
 ing. The beautiful lake afforded them abundant 
 space for sailing and rowing, and quite a number 
 of them were proficient oarsmen and excellent 
 navigators. 
 
 On the Saturday afternoon following the return 
 from the camp, Colonel Brockridge proposed to 
 exercise the boys in the boats. This announcement 
 was received with hearty applause by the cadets, and 
 they gathered round the principal to learn the order 
 of exercises upon the lake. 
 
 " Well, boys, suppose we appoint a couple of 
 coxswains and have a race." 
 
 "Hurrah !" shouted the boys. " A race A race !"
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 221 
 
 " You like the plan, I see. Who shall be your 
 leaders ? " added the colonel. 
 
 The boys made no reply, but looked curiously at 
 each other, as though they were not competent, to 
 settle the question. 
 
 " Nevers for one," said Redman. 
 
 " Very well ; Nevers, we all know, is a good 
 boatman, and has always won the races. Who 
 shall be the other ? " 
 
 No reply was made, and the principal waited 
 some time for a suggestion. 
 
 " Grant has had considerable experience with 
 boats, his father informed me," continued Colonel 
 Brockridge. 
 
 " Grant ! Grant ! " shouted the boys. 
 
 " Grant shall be coxswain of the other boat, 
 tl.n. What do you say, Grant ? " 
 
 " I am very willing, sir, if the fellows desire it," 
 replied Richard, modestly. 
 
 " Very well. The race shall come off at foi.r 
 
 o'clock. Each leader shall have two hours to train 
 
 his crew. The course shall be round Green Island 
 
 and home, making a pull of abcut three miles 
 
 19*
 
 222 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 You shall draw lots for the choice of boats, though 
 I don't think there is a particle of difference be 
 tween them." - 
 
 The choice was between the Alice and the Em 
 ma, as the two club boats had been named. 
 Nevers drew the first choice, and selected the Alice, 
 and of course Ilichard was obliged to be satisfied 
 with the Emma. 
 
 " The coxswains shall select their own crews. 
 Now, draw for the first choice." 
 
 Nevers drew the prize this time also, and named 
 Redman as his stroke oarsman. Ilichard took 
 Bailey for the same station, and they continued to 
 select alternately till each had taken his twelve 
 oarsmen. The coxswain of the Alice had a decided 
 advantage over his -rival, for he had a complete 
 knowledge of the capacity of each boy, and had 
 before taken part in several races on the lake. 
 Ilichard was aided in choosing by his friends whom 
 he had selected, and when they stepped into the boat, 
 he was well satisfied with his crew. 
 
 " We shall get beaten," said Bailey, in a low 
 tone, as they shoved off the Emma.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 223 
 
 " What makes you think so, Bailey?" demanded 
 Richard, with a smile. 
 
 " Nevers is a great boatman. He knows all 
 about a boat, and when he was in command he 
 always Avon the race." 
 
 " Don't you croak, Bailey," laughed Richard. 
 " I have seen a boat before to-day, and I tell you 
 we shall not get beaten." 
 
 The coxswain spoke in a loud tone, so that all 
 his crew could hear him, for he knew that the first 
 requisite of success was confidence. 
 
 " I hope so," said Bailey. " I would rather any 
 other fellow in the school should beat you than 
 Nevers. It will be a feather in his cap." 
 
 " Don't croak, Bailey. Just believe that we shall 
 beat, and we shall." 
 
 " I hope we shall. Nevers first got. ahead of all 
 the fellows in boating. His success elected him to 
 his first office in the company, and if he beats you 
 in this race, he will be captain at the next elec 
 tion. The boys will all stand by the fellow that 
 beats in any thing." 
 
 " There, Bailey, if you say another word, I shall
 
 224 IN SCHOOL AXP our, OR 
 
 wish I had chosen some other fellow. You will 
 defeat us if you keep on croaking," added the 
 Coxswain, earnestly. 
 
 ' I'm not croaking. I only want you to under 
 stand what you have got to do ; and I will do all 
 I can to help you win the race. What are you 
 going up here for ? " demanded Bailey, as the boat'<* 
 bow was pointed down the river, which was the out 
 let of the lake. 
 
 " You ask too many questions, Bailey. If you 
 fill leave this thing to me, I will agree to whip 
 Nevers all to pieces," said Richard, who did not 
 like the discipline on board the Eir.rr.a. 
 
 " All right, Grant. Let him alone, Bailey," said 
 one of the boys in the middle of the boat. 
 
 " Where's the other boat ? " asked Richard. " 1 
 see her ; she has gone up the lake. That's just 
 what I wanted her to do. I have a little business 
 to do here before we go into the race." 
 
 He ordered the crew to cease rowing, and, to 
 the surprise of his companions, ran the boat up to 
 the shore. As he had intimated to them that 
 questions were not agreeable to him, they asked
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICIIAKD ORANT. 225 
 
 none, and waited patiently till his movements should 
 explain themselves. 
 
 " Now, Bailey, will you go up to the store- 
 house, and bring, down some black lead, and the 
 brushes they use to clean the stoves. Dcn't let 
 any body see you, and don't say a word to any 
 one." 
 
 Bailey did not very clearly understand what this 
 request had to do with winning the race, but he 
 ran off with all haste to execute the mission in 
 trusted to him. 'While he was gone, Richard im 
 proved the opportunity to develop his system of 
 rowing to his companions. He had attended a 
 great many boat races on the Hudson, had belonged 
 to a boat club in Whitestone, and had clear ideas 
 upon all matters connected with the business of 
 boating. 
 
 On the t return of the messenger, the articles he 
 had brought were thrown into the stern sheets. 
 and the boat shoved off. Again, to the surprise of 
 the cre\\ , Richard took them down the river, half a 
 mile, till they came to a sandf shore, where he 
 grounded the Emma.
 
 226 IN ' SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 " Now, tumble out, fellows," said Richaid, " and 
 take your oars with you." 
 
 The boys wondered more than oefore at the sin 
 gular proceedings of the coxswain, and Bailey so 
 far overcame his respect for discipline again, as to 
 suggest that they should have no time to practise 
 with the oars, if they spent the precious moments 
 in this stupid manner. 
 
 " Shut up, Bailey ; I have more to lose in this 
 race than you have," said Richard, rather curtly. 
 " If the fellows don't believe in me for this busi 
 ness, I am willing to step one side, and let any 
 other one take hold who thinks he can do it better 
 than I can." 
 
 " Go ahead, Grant ! " shouted the crew. " We are 
 all satisfied, and so is Bailey." 
 
 " I won't speak another word, Grant," said Bai 
 ley. " I only wish I had as much confidence aa 
 you have." 
 
 " Bear a hand lively, my lads," added Richard, 
 as he seized the painter of t'u<s boat ; " I want to 
 get her out of the water." 
 
 The boys took hold with a will, and the Emma
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GBANT. 227 
 
 w&9 soon placed high and dry upon the beach. 
 She was then turned over. 
 
 " There, fellows," said Richard, as he pointed to 
 the foul bottom of the boat, " do you expect to 
 win a race with the craft in that condition ? In 
 fifteen minutes we will have her in the water again, 
 as clean as a lady's parlor." 
 
 By direction of the coxswain, the crew fell to 
 scrubbing the bottom of the boat with an earnest 
 ness and zeal \\rnch soon removed every trace of 
 moss and grass. She was then permitted to dry 
 for a short time, and the bright October sun soon 
 completed their work. The bottom was then cov 
 ered over with black lead, and rubbed with the 
 brushes till it shone like a newly-polished stove. 
 The boys used their muscle upon the brushes, being 
 relieved every minute by fresh hands. 
 
 " Xow, my lads, we are in condition to win the 
 race. Shove her off," said Richard, whose energy 
 inspired the whole party with resolution and con 
 fidence. 
 
 The Emma was afloat again ; the boys took theii 
 places, though not till Richard had rearranged them
 
 228 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 by their weight, so that the boat was in perfect trim 
 when she started. For an hour and a half Richard 
 trained them in rowing, till the stroke exactly suited 
 him, and they fully understood all his signs and 
 signals. 
 
 " Now, fellows, mind your eyes, and we are" sure 
 to win," said the wide-awake coxswain, as the 
 sun fired that was to call them to the stake boat. 
 " I never saw a better set of rowers in my life, 
 and I am as well satisfied with you as though we 
 had been pulling together for a year." 
 
 " Bully for you, Grant," said one of the boys at 
 the bow. 
 
 The Emma pulled leisurely up to the large sail 
 boat, on board of which were the colonel, the as 
 sistant teachers, and as many of the boys a she 
 would comfortably accommodate. 
 
 " Are you all ready ? " shouted the colonel, as 
 rhe Alice and the Emma took their stations. 
 
 " All ready, sir," replied Richard, cheerfully. 
 
 " All ready, sir," added Xevers, confidently. 
 
 Both parties were impatient for the contest to 
 Degin, and both were almost certain of winning
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 229 
 
 the victory. Even the boats seemed to share in 
 the spiri" of their crews, and anxious to have the 
 fetters removed that they might bound away upon 
 the errand of conquest. Each had appropiiate flags 
 at the bow and stern, and one with a taste for 
 boats would have been delighted by the appear 
 ance of the trim craft. 
 
 " Ready for the signal ! " shouted the colonel 
 again. 
 
 " Down with that flag in the bow, Carter," said 
 Richard to the bowman, as he took down the color 
 in the stern. 
 
 " What's that for ? " asked one of the crew of 
 the Emma. 
 
 " They hold the wind, and keep us back a little. 
 We will be on the safe side. Now, ready, fellows, 
 and mind what I have said to you. Don't look 
 at the other boat till you can see her over our 
 stern." 
 
 Nevers disdained to follow the example of his 
 
 rival in removing his flags, saying that he could 
 
 beat him with his colors flyivg. Nevers prided 
 
 himself upon his skill in handling a boat, and he 
 
 20
 
 230 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 felt that the opportunity had come which would 
 enable him to triumph over the hated usurper, a8 
 he considered Richard. He knew how much glory 
 and honor would be awarded to the' conqueror in 
 this race, and that if he could beat his rival, 
 scores of those fair-weather friends, who always 
 attach themselves to a rising man, would leave 
 him. 
 
 The signal gun was on shore, and at a gesture 
 from the colonel, it was discharged. The report 
 seemed to unloose the bonds which chained the 
 boats to their stations, and they bounded away. 
 The crew of the Alice bent to their oars with the 
 most tremendous energy, while that of the Emma 
 seemed to be inspired by the cool and steady nerve 
 of her coxswain. They had been fully and thor 
 oughly instructed in their duty. 
 
 The crowd of boys on the shore were silent and 
 breathless with the interest they felt in the exciting 
 race ; and when, before the boats had gone a quar 
 ter of a mile, they discovered the Alice more than 
 half a length ahead of her companion, the jaws 
 of Richard's friends droj ped, and their faces were
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHABD GEANT. 2ol 
 
 as long as though a ten pound weight had been 
 fastened to the chin of each, while a smile of tri 
 umphant satisfaction lighted up the faces of Nev- 
 ers's well-wishers. 
 
 " Xevers has it ! " exclaimed one of his intimates, 
 as, when she rounded Green Island, the Alice was 
 found to be more than a length ahead of the 
 Emma. 
 
 il Not yet," said one of the other clique. " Let 
 Dick Grant alone. He knows what he is about. 
 He don't half try yet." 
 
 The crew of the Emma could not yet see thu 
 Alice over the stern of the boat, and we doubt 
 not they shared the anxiety and despondency of 
 their friends on shore. But no sooner had the 
 boats rounded the island, and commenced on the 
 home stretch, than Richard's vibrating body began 
 gradually to move more rapidly, and just in pro 
 portion as he increased the movement, the Emma 
 lessened the distance between herself and the 
 Alice. 
 
 " Steady, fellows ; don't get excited. Dip a little, 
 deeper," said Richard, in a quiet, cool tone. "We
 
 232 IN SCHOOL AXTJ OUT, OR 
 
 are doing splendidly, and you shall see the Alice 
 over the stern in about three minutes." 
 
 Nevers, as in the fight with his rival, began to 
 be very much excited when he saw that he was 
 losing ground. He spoke quick and earnest words 
 to the crew of his boat, who had been doing their 
 utmost from the beginning, urging them to increase 
 their exertions. Richard had not permitted his 
 crew to do their best at first, but had kept in their 
 muscles a reserve of strength for the final emer 
 gency. The party in the Alice had no such reserve 
 power, and their efforts to increase the speed of 
 the boat were put forth at the expense of a proper 
 attention to skill and precision. 
 
 The boats were now side by side, and they con 
 tinued in this relative position until they were 
 within half a mile of the stake boat. The race 
 had become intensely exciting, and again the two 
 cliques on shore were breathless and silent with 
 interest. Neither party had any thing to indicate 
 the success of its favorite. 
 
 Even yet Richard had not put his crew to theii 
 utmost. But the decisive moment had arrived, and
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHARD GBANT. 233 
 
 his body began to sway backward and forward 
 with increasing rapidity, and a quarter of a mila 
 mere gave him half a boat-length's advantage o\er 
 his rival. 
 
 " Steady, fellows ; keep cool," said he, in a loud 
 whisper. " Don't miss a stroke, and make every one 
 tell all it will. Now you see her over the stern 
 but pull steady." 
 
 The Emma was a length ahead of the Alice 
 when Ilichard finished these remarks. The boats 
 were within an eighth of a mile of the end of the 
 course, and the murmuring applause of the Grant 
 party on shore began to reach the ears of the 
 contestants. 
 
 " Pull ! Pull ! " shouted Xevcrs, filled with rage 
 and vexation. " Pull with all your might, fellows. 
 We can beat him 5 et, if you only stick to it " 
 
 He increased the rapidity of his motions, but 
 his crew were unable to keep up with him. Their 
 stroke was unsteady ; some of them forgot to feather 
 their oars, and some scarcely dipped the blades in 
 the water. 
 
 '' Steady ! " said Ilichard, with more energy 
 20*
 
 234 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 ' Mind your stroke. <Keep both eyes on mo 
 Here we are ! " shouted he, jumping up from hi* 
 seat in the stern, and giving the order tc cease 
 rowing. 
 
 The Emma flew by the stake boat two and a 
 half lengths ahead of the Alice, and a stunning 
 roar of cheers from the shore and the sail boat 
 saluted the victors. 
 
 " Grant forever ! Three cheers for Grant!-" shout 
 ed Bailey,* as the crew of the Emma rose and 
 mad? the welkin ring with their huzzas.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT 235 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 9 
 
 HICHAKD WINS ANOTHER RACE, AND TUNBROOK 
 IS MUTINOUS. 
 
 IT was a proud moment for Richard Grant when 
 he rose from the stern sheets of the Emma, and 
 found the Alice was two or three lengths behind, 
 and when he heard the shouts of his friends rend 
 the air. It was victory another triumph over the 
 Regulators, who had threatened to make Tunbrook 
 too hot to hold him. They did not get ahead very 
 fast, and he felt that his conquest over them waa 
 complete. 
 
 The hour of prosperity, of triumph, is the most 
 dangerous period in the experience of a young 
 man. He is on the top of the wave, and he seea 
 not the dark abyss that yawns on either side of 
 him. Truly we need adversity to keep us frotr 
 forgetting God and duty ; to keep us from forget-
 
 236 IN SCHOOL AND OUT. OR 
 
 ting that truth and justice are more mighty than 
 mere success. 
 
 But when Richard came to Tunbrook, he came 
 with a solemn resolution to forsake the error of 
 his ways, and find happiness in the path of recti 
 tude. Whatever success had attended him, he 
 attributed to the influence of this good resolution. 
 He had manfully resisted temptation ; he had cured 
 himself of several bad habits, and he had made 
 good progress in the conquest of himself. He had 
 often felt an inclination to resent with hard words 
 and heavy blows the sneers of the Nevers faction, 
 but he had controlled himself; and each victory of 
 principle over inclination had made him stronger in 
 his purpose to do right. 
 
 Bertha's answer to his letter, in which he had 
 informed her of his election to the post of sergeant, 
 cautioned him against being too much elated by 
 his good fortune. She hoped his promotion would 
 not make him think too much of himself. When 
 he realized that he had won a new victory, when 
 he heard the boys shouting his name, the words 
 of his sister came to his mind, and he determined
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 237 
 
 to bear his honors meekly, and to feel kindly towards 
 Nevers and his friends. 
 
 As they pulled to the stake boat, Richard cau 
 tioned his crew not to " crow" over the fellows in 
 the other boat, for it was a friendly contest, and 
 he did not wish to see any ill feeling on either 
 side. The Alice was already alongside the sail 
 boat. Nevers was in no enviable frame of mind ; 
 he looked dark and sour, and Richard only be 
 stowed one glance upon him, lest his looks should 
 be misconstrued. 
 
 " Grant, you have won the race," said Colonel 
 Brockridge, as the Emma came up. " I had no 
 idea of such a result." 
 
 " Three cheers for Grant ! " shouted an enthusi 
 astic boy in the sail boat. 
 
 " Xo," added the principal, as he glanced at the 
 crest-fallen coxswain of the Alice, and saw that he 
 was taking his defeat very hardly. i% You have 
 cheered enough. We don't want any unkind feel 
 ings to grow out of this affair. Nevers, you have 
 been beaten, but " 
 
 *' t shouldn't have been, if I had had fair play,"
 
 238 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 growled Xevers, whose anger was manifest in hia 
 tones. 
 
 '* Has there been any foul play ? " demanded the 
 colonel. 
 
 " Yes, sir, there has," replied Nevers, sharply. 
 
 " What was it ? " 
 
 " The fellows in the Emma took her out of the 
 water, cleaned her, and covered her bottom with 
 black lead." 
 
 " I don't see any unfair play in that. You had 
 the right to use your time for preparation as you 
 wished," said the principal. 
 
 " He couldn't have beaten if his boat hadn't 
 been in better condition," added Nevers. 
 
 " It is a good driver that keeps his horse in 
 good condition. I think it is rulable for each crew 
 to prepare their boat as they think best." 
 
 " Well, he beat us by a trick. What did they 
 go down the river for to haul up their boat ? " 
 
 "That is their business. I see you are not sat 
 isfied, Nevers." 
 
 " No, sir, I am not. I like to have fair play in 
 these things."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 230 
 
 l So do I," said the colonel, with a quiet smile, 
 ''* and I think you had better try this thing over 
 again. Now, suppose you exchange boats, and pull 
 round cnce more, that we may see how much good 
 the black lead did. What do you say, Grant ? " 
 
 " I am willing, sir," replied Richard. 
 
 " We are all fagged out, now, sir," interposed 
 Nevers. 
 
 " I proposed this method to remove your objec 
 tions to the race, Nevers. You might have cleaned 
 your boat, if you had been so disposed." 
 
 " I didn't think of it," snarled Nevers. 
 . " If a general should get beaten because he did 
 not think to bring up his ammunition, or by neg 
 lecting any precaution, his want of forethought 
 would hardly be deemed a sufficient excuse. I 
 should like to have you exchange boats for a short 
 pull, if you don't go round the island." 
 
 " We are tired out, sir." 
 
 " The other crew have pulled the same distance 
 you have," added the principal. 
 
 " Try it, Nevers, try it," whispered Redman. 
 " We shall be laughed at for a month, if we don't 
 We will whip them this time."
 
 240 IN SCHOOL AXD OUT, OR 
 
 " 1 am willing to try it, sir," said Nevers, though 
 his words belied his feelings. 
 
 Both crews were somewhat rested from the fa 
 tigue of the race, and they exchanged places in the 
 two boats, taking the positions assigned to them. 
 
 " We shall get beat this time, sure," said Bailey. 
 
 " No, we won't," replied Richard. 
 
 " Well, if you say so, then we shall not. It 
 would be the greatest thing that ever was, if we 
 should whip them again. It will show that black 
 lead isn't a great institution, after all." 
 
 " Xo, it won't. Those fellows don't pull worth 
 a cent. If they can't do better than they did be 
 fore, we shall whip them all to pieces. Now, mind 
 what I told you ; don't hurry, and keep cool." 
 
 The signal was given, and the two boats dashed 
 off. The race was very nearly a repetition of the 
 first one. Richard kept a sufficient quantity of 
 muscle in reserve for the last half mile of the 
 race, and came in about a boat length ahead of 
 the Emma. The one find a half length's difference 
 in the two races seemed precisely to indicate the 
 amount of virtue in black lead.
 
 i'Jfcffisa 
 
 ""H 
 
 w& 
 
 X ^~ - / " I-- 
 
 S^T^ i. 
 
 "-'-, -* 
 
 U fc' y i/^^-r- 
 
 i;i- HAiMi \\ INS 'I in: J;A- K I
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 241 
 
 Again the thundering cheers of the Grant party 
 reverberated over the lake and through the grove. 
 Nevers was astonished, as well as angry, and his 
 face was darker than ever. 
 
 " Are you satisfied now, Xevers ? " asked the 
 colonel, when the Alice and the Emma came along 
 side the stake boat. 
 
 " Yes, sir," replied he, desperately ; " but I 
 don't understand it.'' 
 
 lk I do," said the principal. " The other crew 
 pull better than yours. I never saw better pull 
 ing in my life than those fellows showed us. I 
 hope there is no hard feeling between you." 
 
 " No, sir," replied Nevers ; but his looks and 
 his tones belied his words. 
 
 " He will pull us all down at this rate," mut 
 tered Redman, as the Emma left the stake boat. 
 
 " Something must be done," added Nevers. " He 
 has got half the fellows on his side now." 
 
 " What shall we do ? " asked Redman, who 
 seemed to regard it as a hopeless case. 
 
 " We'll fix him yet." 
 
 Some earnest conversation followed these remarks. 
 21
 
 242 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 It. was carried on in whispers, and entirely suspend 
 ed when the Alice approached. The boats were 
 secured, and both crews landed. 
 
 " Grant, you have beaten me fairly, and there is 
 my hand," said Nevers, when the two coxswains 
 met on shore. 
 
 Richard was utterly confounded by this show of 
 good will on the part of his rival. He took the 
 proffered hand, and gave it a hearty pressure. 
 
 " Thank you, Nevers ; it is very kind of you to 
 treat me in this handsome manner. I'm sure I 
 don't feel any ill will toward you," replied Richard. 
 
 " We will be friends, Grant, and perhaps you 
 will tell me how this thing was done ?" 
 
 '' With the greatest pleasure." 
 
 " You have some secret in rowing." 
 
 " I will tell you all I know about it, any time 
 you please," said Ri hard, frankly. 
 
 " Thank you ; you are the first fellow that ever 
 beat me rowing, and I honor you for it, but I 
 don't understand it. Shall we be friends now, 
 Grant ? " 
 
 "With all my heart."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF K1CHAED GRANT. 243 
 
 Richard could not have been more astonished 
 if the sky had fallen, than he was when his great 
 enemy approached him with words of kindness and 
 conciliation. He could scarcely believe his senses ; 
 but there was Nevers by his side, as good-natured 
 as though he had won the race ; and more than 
 this, the rival crews were suddenly on the most 
 excellent terms, and were fraternizing like brothers. 
 Xi_vers had evidently given up the point, and in 
 tended to withdraw all opposition to the advance 
 ment of Richard. 
 
 Nevers and his friends seemed to be sincere, 
 and the hatchet appeared to have been actually 
 buried. Richard was so well treated by them, that 
 he came to the conclusion that the Regulators had 
 been dissolved, or at least that they had turned 
 their attention to some more promising field of labor. 
 
 On the first of November, when the boys assem 
 bled for morning prayers, the principal announced < 
 ntw regulation, requiring every member of the In 
 stitute to be in-doors during the off time, from 
 eeven till nine in the evening. Before, they had 
 been permitted to go where they pleased during
 
 244 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 these hours, as long as they did not leave the estate. 
 But some of the boys had been seen in the village 
 of Tunbrook after eight in the evening ; and all 
 efforts to discover who they were had been una 
 vailing. The prohibition had been made to correct 
 this evil. 
 
 When the new regulation was announced, there 
 was a general murmur of disapprobation among the 
 students, for some of their best sport had been 
 enjoyed out of doors, after dark. No one ventured 
 to remonstrate, but the order was exceedingly un 
 popular. 
 
 " I won't stand it," said one and another, during 
 the first recreation hour in the afternoon. " It's too 
 bad ; it will spoil all our fun." 
 
 " The fellows are all agreed on this point," said 
 Redman. 
 
 " I am willing to observe all reasonable regula 
 tions, but we might as well go into a monastery 
 as submit to this thing," added Nevers. " "What 
 do you say, Grant ? " 
 
 " I don't like it. We intended to have a first 
 rate game of foot ball these moonlight evenings."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICIIARD GKANT. 245 
 
 " There isn't a fellow in the school that like? 
 it," said Redman. 
 
 " That's so," replied Bailey. " I don't see thg 
 use of the rule either." 
 
 " Nor I." 
 
 " Some of the fellows have been down to Tun- 
 brook almost every night." 
 
 "What's that to us, as long as we didn't go?" 
 said Bailey. " The innocent ought not to be pun 
 ished with the guilty." 
 
 " The colonel couldn't find out who they were," 
 said Redman, with a kind of chuckle. " No fel 
 low would 'blow' on the others." 
 
 " It is easy enough to talk," said Bailey, " but 
 what are you going to do ? " 
 
 " Do ? Why, resist it, of course," replied Red 
 man. " I am ready to do so, for one. Let us all 
 stay out to-night till nine o'clock." 
 
 " Agreed," added some of the larger boys. 
 
 " We shall get punished if we do," suggested 
 Bailey. 
 
 "No matter. They will have to punish the 
 21*
 
 246 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 whole crowd. The guard house won't hold us all," 
 replied Redman. 
 
 " Let us have a plan about it. We will get up 
 a regular mutiny," said Xevers. " If we can get 
 a hundred fellows to go with us, we shall make the 
 old man cave in." 
 
 " Good, Xevers ! Let all the fellows that will 
 join meet under the big oak by the river, at five 
 o'clock, or as soon as we get out of school. Let 
 each fellow talk it round in a quiet way, but don't 
 let the teachers hear a word." 
 
 " Will you be there, Grant ? " asked Xevers. 
 
 " I don't know. I will see." 
 
 " Don't know ? " said Xevers. " Don't you see 
 all the fellows are in for it ? " 
 
 " I will think of it," replied Richard, as he 
 walked awaj.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 247 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 RICHARD IS DETERMINED, AND SOME ALLUSION IS 
 MADE TO " WATERMELONS." 
 
 THERE had been a time when Richard Grant 
 would have desired no better fun than to engage in 
 such a mutiny as that proposed by Nevers and Red 
 man ; and he was not yet so far removed from his 
 evil propensities as to be able to decline the propo 
 sition. The boys of the Institute believed they had 
 a real grievance, for it seemed harsh and needless 
 to deprive them of some of their best hours for 
 amusement. It looked just as though the principal 
 was angry because he could not ascertain who had 
 broken the rules of the school, and spitefully 
 intended to punish the innocent with the guilty. 
 
 Probably none of them intended to carry their 
 opposition any farther than to express their disap 
 probation of the new regulation. The colonel was
 
 248 IN SCHOOL AND OUT. OK 
 
 a universal favorite, and they had full confidence 
 in his judgment and his justice. Perhaps the de 
 sire to have a little fun and excitement was the 
 strongest motive that actuated them. 
 
 During the afternoon, the plan to redress their 
 grievance was whispered among the boys. " All 
 the fellows were going to join the mutiny " was 
 the strongest inducement that could be used to 
 obtain the consent of the timid ones ; and if " all 
 were going to join," it would require a great deal 
 of moral courage to stand aloof from the scheme. 
 
 Richard was sorely perplexed. "With the others, 
 he felt that the new regulation was arbitrary and 
 unnecessary ; and such a scrape as the boys pro 
 posed was exactly in accordance with his antece 
 dents. He wanted to join for the fun of the thing, 
 and because the rest of the boys were going to do 
 so. He did not like to be singular. Besides, he 
 might injure his popularity, and lose some of the 
 influence he possessed, if he refused to join. 
 
 The temptation was so strong that he cculd not 
 at first resist it ; and though he did not positively 
 promise to meet the others under the big oak, he
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 249 
 
 gave them some encouragement that he would do 
 BO. The little time he had to think of the matter 
 during the study and recreation hours did not ena 
 ble him to arrive at a conclusion ; and at five 
 o'clock, when school was dismissed, he was still 
 halting between two opinions. 
 
 "When he left the school room, he fixed his mind 
 upon the question, and began to discuss it in the 
 most vigorous manner. He knew that any resist 
 ance to the authorities of the school was wrong. 
 Colonel Brockridge had made the rule, and it was 
 his duty to observe it. What would Bertha say, 
 after he had given her such a gloxving account of 
 his success in overcoming temptation, when she was 
 informed that he had joined a mutiny ? 
 
 " I'll keep my resolution ! " said he, stamping 
 his foot upon the ground to emphasize his deter 
 mination. " I'll stand out against the whole of 
 them." 
 
 Half past five came, and nearly every boy in the 
 school had gone to the appointed place. Richard 
 gat cm the bench at the foot of the flagstaff on 
 the parade ground, thinking whether his duty
 
 250 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 required him to do any thing more than simply 
 refuse to join the mutiny. Somehow, it entered 
 into his head that it was his duty to prevent the 
 rebellion if he could. It even occurred to him that 
 he ought to inform Colonel Brockriclge of the in 
 tention of the students, and thus place himself on 
 the side of law and order ; but he rejected this 
 suggestion, it was so utterly repugnant to his na 
 ture. He could not " tell tales out of school." 
 If any body's life, property, or happiness had been 
 at stake, he might have felt differently. Richard 
 was a novice in advocating the claims of law and 
 order, of truth and justice ; and he was more easily 
 satisfied than some would have been in a similar 
 situation. 
 
 While he was debating this matter with himself, 
 Nevers, Bailey, and Redman approached, and inter 
 rupted his meditations. They appeared to be a 
 committee appointed to wait upon him, and ascer 
 tain his views upon the momentous question. 
 
 " You didn't come down," said Nevers. 
 
 " No : I have concluded not to join in the scrape," 
 replied Richard, gravely.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GKANT. 251 
 
 " Whj* not ? " 
 
 '* Because I don't think it is right ; and I think 
 if we speak to the colonel about the matter, he will 
 make it all right." 
 
 " I tell you, Grant, he has no right to make 
 such a regulation," added Nevers, with energy ; 
 " and I, for one, am not going to beg him not to 
 do that which he has no right to do." 
 
 " Come, Grant, you are almost the only fellow 
 in the school who won't join the mutiny," said 
 Redman. 
 
 M The fellows are all in for it, and you had bet 
 ter come," added Bailey. 
 
 " No ; I won't join," replied Richard, decidedly. 
 
 " Come down to the grove, whether you join or 
 not," suggested Nevers. 
 
 " I am willing to go down to the grove, but I 
 shall not go in for this scrape." 
 
 " Come along, then." 
 
 The boys walked over to the grove, the com 
 mittee using all their eloquence and logic to induce 
 Richard to change his mind ; but thus far he re 
 mained firm and loyal to his good resolution. His
 
 252 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 arrival at the grove created a sensation, for il 
 seemed to be evidence that he was to form one of 
 the party. 
 
 The position of Richard Grant on the present 
 occasion was so novel that he could hardly believe 
 in his own identity. Like the old woman with the 
 little pig, it did not seem to be he that was re 
 fusing an invitation to join in a scrape so harmless 
 as the one proposed ; and he almost needed an in 
 troduction to himself. 
 
 But Richard was himself, truly himself him 
 self in the highest and noblest sense. His deter 
 mination to keep his resolution seemed to create 
 around him an atmosphere of purity, and the more 
 he breathed it, the firmer and the stronger he be 
 came. The boys exhorted him singly, in couples, 
 and by squads, to join the foolish enterprise, but 
 without effect. 
 
 " Better come with us, Grant," said Nevers. 
 ** We have got a first-rate plan, and we shall have 
 a tip-top time." 
 
 " I have fully made up my mind not to go," 
 replied Richard.
 
 THE COXQUEST OF RICHARU GRANT. 253 
 
 " I shall not go, if Grant doesn't," added Bailey. 
 
 " Nor I," said another. 
 
 "Back out will you?" sneered Nevers, his 
 face darkening with an expression of anger. 
 
 " I said I would join if Grant did," replied Bailey, 
 stung by the reproach. 
 
 Most of the boys were silent for a time, for the 
 decided and unexpected stand taken by Richard, 
 the favorite of the school, altered the complexion 
 of the whole affair. This silence was succeeded by 
 a more unequivocal demonstration. One after an 
 other followed the example of Bailey, and deserted 
 the bad cause, till Richard found himself no longer 
 alone, but supported by at least thirty of the best 
 fellows in the Institute ; and then they began to 
 come over in squads. 
 
 " You are the meanest set of cowards I ever 
 saw in my life," exclaimed Xevers, bitterly, when 
 cLe enterprise appeared to be fully nipped in the bud. 
 
 " Grant is right," several of the boys replied. 
 
 "Grant!" sneered Nevers, angrily. "He wasn't 
 a-Vays so nice as he is now." 
 
 " That's so," said Redman, as he placed himself 
 22
 
 254 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 by the side of the bully. " We know a thing or 
 two about Grant, before he became pious." 
 
 " What do you mean by pious ? " demanded 
 Richard, stepping up to the speaker ; and as he 
 did so, his fists were involuntarily clinched. 
 
 " Watermelons ! " replied Redman, vindictively. 
 
 " Watermelons ! " added Nevers. 
 
 " Watermelons ! " responded a dozen or mere of 
 the large boys, who had gathered around Redman. 
 
 "Do you walk in your sleep any now, Grant?" 
 said Redman, with a mocking laugh. " You wasn't 
 pious then." 
 
 Richard was so mortified and confused by these 
 taunts that he wished the earth might open and 
 hide him from the exulting gaze of his assailants. 
 His blood boiled with shame and indignation, and 
 more than ever before he realized that " the way 
 of the transgressor is hard." His first impulse 
 was to rush upon his dastardly foes, and crush 
 them beneath the weight of his strong arm. 
 
 Most of the boys looked at each other with 
 astonishment, wondering what could be meant by 
 ki watermelons," and walking in his sleep. It was
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 255 
 
 evident to Richard that only a few of his com- 
 pamons understood the reflections cast upon him. 
 There he stood, trembling, as it were, in the bal 
 ance, and ready to be carried up or down by this 
 new and most terrible trial up into a higher 
 sphere of virtue, or down into a deepei degrada 
 tion than any he had yet fathomed. 
 
 "I will be true to myself!" said he to himself, 
 after he had stood silent for a moment, blushing 
 with shame, and assailed by the foe without and 
 the foe within. 
 
 His clinched fist unclosed, the muscles relaxed, 
 and though his face was still red, a smile of tri 
 umph played upon his lips. 
 
 " Will you go, Watermelons ? " sneered Redman. 
 
 " I will not," replied Richard. 
 
 " Shut up, Redman," interposed Nevers, who 
 entirely mistook the singular change which had 
 come over Richard's countenance. " Come, Grant, 
 you and I will talk it over alone ; " and he took 
 his arm, and led him away from the crowd, 
 
 " You see we 'know all about these things," con 
 tinued Nevers, " but we don't want to be hard
 
 256 IN SCHOOL AXD OUT, OR 
 
 upon you. Only about a dozen of us know any 
 thing about those scrapes." 
 
 " Who told you about them ? " asked Richard. 
 
 " That's nothing to the purpose. You are a 
 good fellow, Grant, and I advise you to join us ; 
 if you do, not a fellow shall ever say a word about 
 watermelons or sleep-walking." 
 
 " I will not join you, whatever you say and what 
 ever you do." 
 
 " Then you won't hear any thing but watermel 
 ons while you stay here. I called you out as a 
 friend, and I think you had better go with us." 
 
 " I will not." 
 
 " Then we will tell all the fellows." 
 
 " I will save you the trouble by telling them 
 myself." 
 
 " Come, Grant." 
 
 ' I will not." 
 
 " Gc it, then, Watermelons !" said Nevers, as he 
 ran back to the others, and told them of the result 
 of the interview. 
 
 Richard wondered who could have informed them 
 of his scrapes, but he could form no idea. Lesf
 
 THE CONQUEST O> KICHARD GRANT. 257 
 
 our renders should be equally in the dark, we will 
 tell them, confidentially, that Sandy Brimblecora 
 had dene the mischief. A cousin of his, on his 
 way to Tunbrook, had stopped a day in White- 
 stone. This relative was, unfortunately, one of the 
 Nevers' faction, and the information he brought 
 was carefully preserved for an emergency. 
 
 " All who join, come under the big tree ! " 
 shouted Redman. " If you walk in your sleep, 
 Grant, perhaps you will pay us a visit." 
 
 " Asleep or awake," replied Richard, calmly, but 
 forcibly, " I shall know enough to keep out of bad 
 company." 
 
 "Do you mean me by that?" demanded Red 
 man, rushing up to Richard, and shaking his fist 
 in his tace. 
 
 "I do." 
 
 " Then take that ; " and Redman struck Richard 
 in the face. 
 
 The latter did take that, but the next instant 
 his assailant lay upon the ground, where Richard 
 with a single blow had thrown him. 
 22*
 
 258 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OH 
 
 " None of that, Redman," interposed Nevers, 
 " The colonel will be down upon us." 
 
 " Let's lick him," said another. 
 
 " I am ready," coolly replied Richard, throwing 
 cff his coat. 
 
 But prudence carried the day, and the mutineers* 
 retired to the big oak. Only about fifty, or one 
 fourth of, the students, responded to the call of Red 
 man, and the rest retired from the ground. 
 
 " What did they mean by ' watermelons' ? " asked 
 Bailey, as they walked up to the Institute. 
 
 "I'll tell you all about it;" replied v Richard. 
 " I got into some scrapes before I came here ; " 
 and' he told his companions the whole story. " But, 
 fellows, I have turned over a new leaf." 
 
 " Good ! " said Bailey. " I am glad you told 
 us ; and I'm sure no decent fellow in the Institute 
 will ever fling it at you." 
 
 Richard felt better when he had told the whol* 
 truth. He confided in his friends, and feared no' 
 his enemies. When they reached the parade ground 
 they saw that the mutineers had taken possessloi 
 of every one of the boats, and were sailing up th*
 
 THE CONQUEST 6f BICHARD GRANT. 259 
 
 lake towards Green Island. They dared not return 
 to the Institute, femng that their plan might be 
 discovered. 
 
 Richard was informed that arrangements had 
 been made before he joined them ; that they in 
 tended to take all the boats, so that the instructors 
 could not reach them, and encamp on the island. 
 
 When the rolls were called, the absence of about 
 fifty of the boys was discovered by the teachers. 
 The truth came out, and the sharp eye of Colonel 
 Brockridge seemed to glow with unwonted lustre.
 
 5J6C IN SCHOOL AND OUT. OR 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 BICHAKD VISITS GREEN ISLAND, AND THE EEGU- 
 LATORS CONSIDER THEIR PLANS. 
 
 THE evening exercises proceeded as usual, no 
 allusion whatever being made to the absence of 
 the mutineers, after the facts had been revealed. 
 But no one supposed that the energetic principal 
 would drop the matter where it then stood. 
 
 Richard had been " putting that and that to 
 gether" since the events which had transpired in 
 the grove, till he was pretty well satisfied that the 
 mutineers now upon Green Island were the Regu 
 lators. The evidences which led him to this con 
 clusion had been, carefully collected from the time 
 he had been whipped by them in the woods near 
 the camp. Though Nevers had appeared to be 
 Very friendly since the race, his conduct had not 
 been above suspicion.
 
 THE CONQUEST 1>F HICHAKD GRANT. 261 
 
 During the evening the boys had a great dea 
 to say about the mutiny, and some of them even 
 regretted that they had not joined, especially aa 
 the colonel did not seem to care much al out the 
 affair. About eight o'clock in the evening, Rich 
 ard was sent for by the principal. 
 
 " Grant," said Colonel Brockridge, as Richard 
 entered the office, " I have heard all about your 
 conduct, and I wish to express to you my appro 
 bation. You have, indeed, turned over a new leaf, 
 as you told the boys, and I congratxilate you upon 
 your success in keeping your good resolution. I 
 have just written a letter to your father, which you 
 may read." 
 
 The principal handed him the letter, and with a 
 glow of pride and satisfaction, Richard read the 
 high commendation which was bestowed upon him. 
 There was no allusion to the affair of the day, and 
 the praise covered his general conduct since he 
 had been at Tunbrook. 
 
 " I learn hat you have been true to yourself, 
 and true to the rules of the Institute, under pecu 
 liar trials. I sympathize with you. But you have
 
 262 IN SCHOOL A CD OUT, OR 
 
 won the respect and regard of all the good boys. 
 You can afford to be disliked by the others." 
 
 " I have tried to do my duty, sir," replied Rich 
 ard, blushing at the praise bestowed upon him. 
 
 " You have done well. I know how fond you 
 arc of exciting adventure, and I wonder that you 
 had the strength to resist this temptation." 
 
 " I am surprised myself," added Richard. 
 
 " If I except the fight, which was greatly palli 
 ated by the circumstances, and the sleeping on 
 guard when we were in camp, your conduct has 
 been entirely unexceptionable since you came to 
 the Institute. Sleeping on gaurd is not " 
 
 " I didn't sleep on guarl, sir," interposed Rich 
 ard, mildly and respectfully. "I am prepared to 
 explain all about that now." 
 
 " Indeed? It is rather late now," said the princi 
 pal, shaking his head. 
 
 ' I think I have unearthed the Regulators." 
 
 " The Regulators ? I haven't heard any thing of 
 them for a year. I supposed they no longer existed." 
 
 " They do exist," added Richard. " I happen to 
 know something about them."
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAKD GEANT. 262 
 
 *' What do you know ? " 
 
 In reply to this question, Richard narrated all 
 the particulars of his abduction from his post while 
 doing guard duty. 
 
 "But why didn't you tell me about this?" de 
 manded the colonel, surprised and indignant at the 
 audacity of the Regulators. " Why did you suffer 
 the penalty of deserting your post, when you were 
 innocent ? " 
 
 " I thought it would be better in the end, sir. 
 t wanted to find out who the Regulators were." 
 
 " Well, have you found out ? " 
 
 " I think I have, sir." 
 
 " Who are they ? " 
 
 " I am pretty well satisfied that they are en 
 camped upon Green Island just now," said Rich 
 ard, with a smile. 
 
 " What evidence have you ? " 
 
 Richard stated, at considerable length, the facts 
 and incidents which had led him to this conclusion: 
 but the colonel was not fully satisfied. 
 
 " If you will permit me, sir, I think I could 
 prove what I say to your entire satisfaction."
 
 264 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " What do you wish to do ? " 
 
 " I wish to visit Green Island," replied Richard, 
 boldly. 
 
 " They would whip you again." 
 
 " I am not afraid of them." 
 
 " How will you get over to the island ? The 
 young rascals have taken all the boats." 
 
 "I can borrow a skiff; if not, I can go over on 
 a plank." 
 
 " But they would handle you rather roughly." 
 
 " I don't intend to let them see me. I think I 
 can manage the matter, sir." 
 
 " Well, Grant, your plan will harmonize with 
 mine. I intend to punish these mutineers, as they 
 foolishly call themselves, in a novel way ; and I 
 have already made my arrangements to do so. But 
 you shall carry out your scheme first." 
 
 " I should be very glad to do so, and I am con 
 fident that I shall succeed." 
 
 " You shall try it, at all events." 
 
 " Will you let Bailey go with me ? " asked 
 Richard. 
 
 " No ; I do not wish tc expose him to danger.
 
 THE CONQUEST OP RICHARD GRAXT. 265 
 
 You can take care of yourself, it appears, if you 
 get into trouble. Do you want some one with you ?" 
 
 " I think it would be better." 
 
 " Mr. Gault shall accompany you, but you shaJl 
 manage the matter yourself." 
 
 "Very well, sir. What shall I do for a boat?' 1 
 
 " You shall have one of the pontoon boats. It 
 will be better than a skiff." 
 
 " Good ! I didn't think of that," said Richard, 
 with enthusiasm. 
 
 " Now, Grant, not a word must be said of the 
 events of to-night." 
 
 It was after nine o'clock when this conference 
 was finished, and the boys had retired. Richard 
 and the principal left the office, and repaired to 
 the stables, where they found three of the instruct 
 ors, including Mr. Gault. The horses were attached 
 to the pontoon wagon, ready for a start. The 
 whole party seated themselves in the vehicle, and 
 were driven by the public road to a spot near the 
 shore of the lake. One of the nibber boats was 
 unloaded, and Mr. GauJt an 1 Richard carried it 
 down to the bank. 
 23
 
 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 lite night was cloudy and dark. Green Island 
 tvas half a mile from the place where they proposed 
 to embark, and there was no danger that the mu 
 tineers would see or hear them. The boat was 
 filled with air, by the aid of a bellows, and placed 
 in the water. Richard requested Mr. Gault to lie 
 down in the boat, and, with a short paddle he had 
 brought for the purpose, he propelled the light 
 craft towards her destination. 
 
 The utmost care and quiet were necessary to 
 prevent the mutineers from gaining any knowledge 
 of the movement ; and when the boat was within 
 % few rods of the island, Ilichard laid aside his 
 paddle and listened. He could hear the Regula 
 tors talking and laughing at some distance from 
 the shore, and he soon satisfied himself that no 
 sentinels had been detached to guard the approaches. 
 With a few strokes of his paddle, he brought the 
 boat alongside the island. 
 
 Richard seemed to be a master of strategy, and 
 conducted his movements with such skill and pru 
 dence, that he and Mr. Gault succeeded in effecting 
 a landing without disturbing the mutineers.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAIID GRANT. 267 
 
 *' Now, sir, we must lie down and crawl upon 
 the ground till we get within hearing distance of 
 them," whispered Richard. 
 
 " I will follow you, Grant," replied the in 
 structor. 
 
 " We must move very slowly." 
 
 " There is plenty of time.' ? 
 
 Richard led the way, crawling like a snake upon 
 the grass, so slowly and so cautiously that not a 
 particle of noise seemed to be made. Near the 
 centre of the island there was a clump of trees, 
 which had been dignified by the title of a grove. 
 The mutineers were seated upon the ground in 
 this place. Though the distance to the grove from 
 the place where Mr. Gault and Richard had landed 
 was only a few rods, more than half an hour was 
 consumed in reaching a spot which would be near 
 enough to enable them to hear what was said. 
 
 The deep gloom beneath a spreading oak afforded 
 them a friendly shelter ; and here they disposed of 
 themselves to the best advantage to effect the ob 
 ject in view. For half an hour they listened to 
 conversation on all topics. Various wild schemes
 
 268 IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 wci-e proposed to bring the colonel to terms. Some 
 declared their intention to spend a week on tho 
 island. 
 
 " We should freeze and starve," said another. 
 
 " Xo ; Leslie I mean Kennedy said he would 
 supply us with food ; and we can make a tent of 
 the sails of the boat." 
 
 " Let us stick together, whatever we do," added 
 another. " If we could only have got Grant over 
 here, we should have fixed him." 
 
 " Thank you," said Richard to himself ; and he 
 listened to this kind of talk for some time, begin 
 ning to fear that he should not obtain the infor 
 mation for which he came. 
 
 " Regulators, come to order ! " said Nevers, at 
 last, much to the satisfaction of the listeners. " Are 
 all present Regulators ? " 
 
 " They are," replied Redman. 
 
 " Guards, to your stations." 
 
 Richard could not see where their stations wore ; 
 and he hoped the line of their duty would not 
 lead them to the oak under ^trich Mr. Gault end 
 himself were seated.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 269 
 
 " It is a long time since we have had a chance 
 to hold a regular meeting ; and it may be a long 
 time before we are able to do so again. Perhaps 
 it was lucky that all except the Regulators backed 
 out," continued Nevers. " You all know the busi 
 ness we have on our hands." 
 
 " We do," replied several. 
 
 " By a judicious use of watermelons and sleep 
 walking, we shall accomplish our purpose," continued 
 Nevers. 
 
 " We must do it before the next election, my 
 chief," said Redman. 
 
 " It is of no use to attempt to whip him, or 
 any thing of that sort," answered " my chief^" which 
 seemed to be the official designation of the pre 
 siding officer. 
 
 " I have a plan which I think will procure his 
 expulsion from the school." 
 
 " State it ; and every Regulator will remember 
 ihe penalty of disclosing one of the society's 
 secrets." 
 
 " He shall be pounded till he is black and blue," 
 said the members, in concert. 
 23*
 
 270 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK 
 
 " And every Regulator shall despise him as man 
 and boy, to the end of his life." 
 
 " That's so," responded the members. 
 
 " Go on, Redman," said the chief. 
 
 " Next Sunday night, the sheds, near the grove, 
 will be set on fire. On Friday night Grant's French 
 exercise book will be taken from his desk. He 
 will fail in his lesson on Saturday, and the colonel 
 must- punish him. This will make him mad. The 
 exercise book will be torn up, and pieces of it, 
 especially the cover with his name on it, will be 
 found near the burnt building. Masters, who ia 
 on good terms with Grant, on a certain pretence, 
 known to him and me, will induce him to wait 1 at 
 the shed until after dark, where he will be seen 
 by Mr. Gault, when he goes his rounds. A broken 
 bunch of matches will be found in Grant's closet, 
 where no fellow is allowed to keep matches. Othet 
 suspicious circumstances will appear at the time 
 for they are in charge of proper persons." 
 
 " You hear," said the chief. 
 
 " I lon't like the plan," said one. 
 
 " Nor 1," chimed in a dozen others.
 
 THF, CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 271 
 
 " It is a mean thing," added the first objector. 
 
 " How many officers has the Society of Regula 
 tors ? " demanded the chief, sternly. 
 
 " One, whom all obey," replied the members. 
 
 " Who is he ? " 
 
 " Nevers." 
 
 " I am chief, and I command that this be done," 
 said the chief. 
 
 Twenty or thirty of the members, as Ilichard judged 
 by the voices, protested against the scheme ; but the 
 measure was ordered in spite of this opposition. 
 
 " Is there a traitor here ? " demanded the chief. 
 
 " Not one," replied the members. 
 
 The chief then urged the necessity of using 
 strong measures. He pointed out the danger of 
 permitting Grant to remain in the school ; and the 
 plan would insure his expulsion. But still the in 
 tractable ones objected, and their names were or 
 dered to be given. As they were announced, Mr. 
 Gault, aided by faith rather than sight, wrote them 
 down on the back of some letters he had in his 
 pocket. The business was finished, and it was pro 
 pc^ed to establish a watch on the island for the night
 
 272 IN SCHOOL AND OUX, OR 
 
 " We must go," whispered Richard ; and he 
 crawled off, followed by Mr. Gault. 
 
 They reached the water without being discovered, 
 and embarked in the rubber boat. 
 
 " If they place sentinels on the watch, the 
 colonel's plan will be defeated," said Mr. Gault. 
 
 " "What is his plan ? " 
 
 " To get all the boats away from them, and 
 keep them on the island till they have had enough 
 of it." 
 
 " We must do it before the watch is set," added 
 Richard. 
 
 To accomplish this purpose, he paddled the float 
 to the place where the boats were moored, and cast 
 them all adrift. The slight current of the lake 
 carried them slowly down to the river, and the 
 listeners returned to the shore, and reported what 
 they hac. done to the colonel. The whole party 
 were then driven round to the outlet of the lake, 
 where they secured the boats as they floated down. 
 
 The business of the night was done, and the 
 party retired to their several apartments.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF RICHARD GRANT. 273 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 KICHARD ANNIHILATES THE REGULATORS, A1TD 
 THE STORY IS CONCLUDED. 
 
 IT would have damaged the self-esteem of the 
 Regulators if they could have seen how little notice 
 \VLS taken of their absence at the Institute on the 
 day following the development of the mutiny. Every 
 thing went on as usual, and the instructors did not 
 even allude to the rebels or the rebellion. It 
 seemed to be the policy of the principal to main- 
 ta ; n a "masterly inactivity" in regard to them. 
 
 Perhaps Colonel Brockridge was not so indiffer 
 ent as he appeared to be. He had stationed men 
 on both sides of the lake to prevent any commu 
 nication between the mutineers and persons on the 
 shore At noon it was reported that a boy by the 
 name of Leslie, who lived in Tunbrook, and who 
 Lad been expelled from the Institute, had atten pted
 
 274 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 to visit the island. Richard was curious to know 
 who Leslie was, for he had heard the name men 
 tioned by the Regulators. 
 
 The first day of November was very mild and 
 pleasant. It was one of the sweet days of the In 
 dian summer, and the rebels on Green Island were 
 highly favored by this circumstance. On the sec 
 ond day the wind changed, and it blew clear and 
 cold from the north-west. Just before sunset, a 
 white flag was seen upon a pole, near the landing 
 place on the island. Colonel Brockridge was in 
 formed of the fact, and the large sail boat was 
 ?ent off to relieve the rebels from their uncom 
 fortable situation. 
 
 Richard and two of the instructors were deputed 
 to visit the island, and ascertain the import of the 
 " flag of truce." The teachers were not boatmen, 
 and our hero was the only person available as a 
 navigator ; and he was too deeply interested in the 
 fate of the Regulators to be averse to the visit. 
 
 On arriving at the island, the reoels were found 
 to be in a very deplorable condition. They had 
 oaten nothing since dinner on the preceding day,
 
 THE CONQUEST OF BICHAKD GRANT. 275 
 
 and were shivering with cold. Mr. Gault calmly 
 Inquired what they wanted. 
 
 " We want to return," replied Nevers, whoso 
 teeth chattered as he spoke. 
 
 " Step into the boat, then." 
 
 But the boat would not carry them all, and it 
 was necessary to make two trips to convey the en 
 tire .party. On the passage, Richard attended 
 closely to his duty, and did not speak a word to 
 the rebels. The two instructors were as taciturn 
 as the boatman. 
 
 The party seemed to be astonished that their 
 return created no sensation. No restraint was 
 placed upon them, and when they, landed each 
 went where he chose, but most of them found 
 their way to the warm rooms of the Institute. 
 
 " Have you had a pleasant time, Nevers ? " asked 
 the colonel, when he met the chief of the Regu 
 lators. 
 
 " Not very, sir,", replied Nevers, with a ghastly 
 smile. 
 
 This was all the allu.sion that was made to the 
 affair. Provisions disappeared with astonishing ra-
 
 276 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 pidity at the supper table that night. The .Regu 
 lators looked very tame and " chap fallen " for a 
 day or two ; and Nevers condescended to inform 
 Richard that the whole thing was a bad failure. 
 
 Colonel Brockridge had requested Mr. Gault and 
 Richard to be entirely silent in regard to what had 
 transpired while they were upon the island. He 
 did not explain his purpose to Richard, but his in 
 junction was faithfully observed. 
 
 The Regulators, even to Nevers and Redman, 
 were very cordial and considerate towards their 
 intended victim, and Richard believed they had 
 abandoned their wicked purpose, till, on Saturday 
 morning, he missed his French exercise book. Witn- 
 out it, he could not recite his lesson, and he was 
 checked for the failure, and reported to Colonel 
 Brockridge. The principal sent for him, and every 
 boy in school supposed he was under censur.e for 
 the deficiency. 
 
 On Sunday night, when the boys were per 
 mitted to walk, Masters told Richard that Bailey 
 wished to see him on particular business near the 
 Grove shed, as the building was called. Richard
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAED GBANT. 277 
 
 promised to meet him at the place assigned. He 
 waited there some time, but as Bailey did not 
 come, he returned to the parlor of the Institute. 
 He met Bailey here, and asked if he wished to 
 see him. 
 
 " Yes ; I wanted to show you something in the 
 shed, but it will do just as well in the morning," 
 replied Bailey, somewhat to the astonishment of 
 Richard, who, of course, understood what all these 
 things were for. 
 
 " What was it ? " asked the intended victim. 
 
 " It was a piece of your exercise book ; and I 
 didn't know but the piece might enable you to find 
 the whole." 
 
 While they were talking the alarm of fire was 
 given ; but before they could reach the spot, some 
 ready hands had extinguished the flames. In ac 
 cordance with the programme laid down upon the 
 island, pieces of Richard's exercise book, some of 
 (hem half burned, were found in and near the 
 sljcd. Several cards of matches, and half the 
 printed paper that had enclosed the Driginal bunch, 
 24
 
 278 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 were also picked up near the building which had 
 been devoted to destruction. 
 
 An investigation was immediately commenced. 
 The boys were ordered to the school room. The 
 pieces of Richard's exercise book were examined. 
 A dozen boys had seen its owner standing neal 
 the shed before the fire originated. The teachers 
 were sent to examine the closets for further evi 
 dence. Not only were several cards of matches 
 found in Richard's closet, but also part of the 
 printed envelope that had enclosed them. This 
 piece of paper was a portion of the wrapper, of 
 which the other part had been found in the shed. 
 
 These facts were duly announced to the boys, 
 and it seemed as clear as noonday that Richard 
 Grant was the incendiary. He was ordered to 
 report forthwith at the office, and the boys were 
 dismissed for the night. 
 
 " We have fixed him this time," said Nevers, in 
 a whisper, as he and Redman left the room. 
 
 " He is under arrest, and to-morrow he will be 
 sent home in disgrace," replied Redman, rubbing
 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAED GKANT. 279 
 
 his hands. " Nevers, you will be the next captain 
 of Company D." 
 
 " We have broken the fellows' idol, at any rate. 
 Grant will spend the night in the guard .house," 
 added Xevers. 
 
 Xevers was slightly mistaken ; for Richard, though 
 he did not appear in Barrack B that night, occu 
 pied the guest chamber of Colonel Brockridge'a 
 private residence. His friends, especially Bailey, 
 were gloomy and sad. The more lukewarm ones 
 were sure, and always had been, that Grant was a 
 bad boy. 
 
 On Monday morning, when the boys had assem 
 bled in the school room, Colonel Brockridge ap 
 peared, followed by Richard. The students under 
 stood that the incendiary case was to be settled, 
 and a breathless silence pervaded the hall. 
 
 " Grant stands before you accused of a very 
 grave offence," the principal began. " We cannot 
 permit a boy who sets fire to a building to remain 
 in the Institute. If guilty, he must be expelled. 
 But Grant assures me this is a conspiracy to injure 
 him. He declares that there is a secret organiza-
 
 280 IX SCHOOL AND OUT, OB 
 
 tzon in the Institute called the Regulators, wl-.o 
 have determined to drive him away from the school 
 Some of us have heard of such an institution be- 
 fore, hut its existence has never been clearly proved, 
 Redman, do you know any thing of such an as 
 sociation." 
 
 " I never heard of it before, sir," replied Redman. 
 
 " Do you, Nevers ? " 
 
 "No, sir." 
 
 " Grant charges you both with being connected 
 with the Regulators." 
 
 " Let him prove it," said Ncvers, in defiant 
 tones. 
 
 " Who is Dobbin ? " asked the principal 
 
 " I never heard the name before," answered Nev 
 ers. " I think it is very hard to be accused with 
 out evidence. I hope you will make Grant prove 
 what he says, sir." 
 
 " I will, my chief," said Richard, at a nod from 
 the colonel ; and, without giving the source of his 
 information, he told all he knew about the Regu 
 lators. 
 
 " How many officers have the Regulators ?" asked
 
 THE CONQUEST OF TUCHAKD GKA XT. 281 
 
 Mr. Gault, rising from his chair, at the farther end 
 of the room. 
 
 " One, u-hom all obey,'' 1 replied Richard, repeat 
 ing what he had heard on the island. 
 
 " Who is he ? " 
 
 " Nevers." 
 
 " Are there traitors among us ? " continued Mr. 
 Gault. 
 
 "Not a traitor." 
 
 " Wliat shall be done fo him who discloses the 
 secrets of the Regulators ? " asked the teacher. 
 
 " He shall le pounded till lie is black and blue, 
 and, as man and boy, be despised till the end of 
 his life," replied Richard, repeating the words of 
 the Ilcgxilators as nearly as he could remember 
 them. 
 
 " What do you think of this, Nevers ? " asked 
 the colonel. 
 
 " I don't know what it all means, sir," answered 
 he, with a well-counterfeited look of astonishment. 
 
 There were a great many pale faces, beating 
 hearts, and quivering lips in the seats, for it was 
 certain that the daylight had been shining in upon 
 24*
 
 282 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OR 
 
 the dark doings of the Regulators. Who was the 
 traitor ? who had betrayed the secrets of the fra 
 ternity ? Confusion and trembling overwhelmed the 
 Regulators. 
 
 " Before we proceed any farther," continued the 
 principal, " if there are any of this secret band 
 present who wish to acknowledge their guilt, and 
 are willing to be forgiven, they may stand." 
 
 The silence was intense and deep. Nevers and 
 Redman did not move a muscle, but some of the 
 mutineers glanced at each other, and seemed to be 
 ia doubt. 
 
 " Now is the only time for confession," added 
 the colonel. 
 
 Half a dozen boys rose ; then one after another 
 followed their example, till it seemed as if the 
 whole band intended to absolve themselves from 
 their vows. Those who rose were ordered to the 
 rear of the room. Only ten of the band decided to 
 abide the issue. They were called out by name. 
 
 " Here are the rest of the Regulators," said the 
 colonel, when the obdurate ones had taken their 
 places upon the platform.
 
 THE CONQUEST OF KICHAED GRANT. 283 
 
 Mr. Gault told his story, and Richard told his. 
 rhe evidence was complete and overwhelming. 'J^vvo 
 of th3 . teachers had been concealed in the shed, 
 and had seen Redman set it on fire, and scatter 
 the pieces of the exercise book in the vicinity. 
 Another had seen Masters place the matches in 
 Richard's closet. The colonel, knowing the details 
 of the plot beforehand, had arranged every thing 
 so as to insure the conviction of the conspirators. 
 
 " Boys," said Colonel Brockridge, " I am happy 
 to inform you that Grant is entirely innocent." 
 
 Those in their seats received this announcement 
 with a storm of applause. 
 
 " I knew he was innocent from the beginning." 
 
 Another burst of applause. 
 
 The principal detailed with great minuteness the 
 particulars of the conspiracy, with which our read 
 ers are already familiar. The ten Regulators were 
 expelled at once, and sent away by the next train 
 that left Tunbrook. The whole forenoon was occu 
 pied in disposing of the matter ; but when the boyg 
 ware sent out, there was no end to the cheering foi 
 Richard Grant.
 
 284 IN SCHOOL AND OUT, OK. 
 
 It \vas plain that Nevers and Redman were the 
 head and front of the Regulators. They wert. the 
 authors of the association, and when they had 
 gone, the organization died a natural death. Les 
 lie was Kennedy, as Xevers wag Dobbin. All the 
 secrets and signs were bandied about and laughed 
 at among the boys. Those of the band who re 
 mained were punished by being deprived of various 
 privileges ; but they behaved themselves afterwards 
 with commendable propriety. One of them ven 
 tured to say " watermelons,'" one day, when he 
 was angry with llichard, but a hurdred boys hissed 
 him for it. 
 
 Three of the expelled Regulators were eventually 
 restored, but the lesson they had learned was all- 
 sufficient. 
 
 Richard's victory was complete ; and the events 
 we have related rendered him a greater favorite 
 than before. At the spring election he was chosen 
 captain of Company D, and was regarded as the 
 best officer in the line. 
 
 Richard's victory over himself was as complete 
 

 
 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAKD GHANT. 285 
 
 88 that over the Regulators. That good resolution, 
 kept through trial and temptation, eventually re 
 formed his life and character. During the spring 
 vacation, he spent a week at home, and rejoiced 
 the hearts of Bertha and his father by the evi 
 dences of his reformation. Ben wept for joy, and 
 Noddy Xewman " couldn't tell, for the life of him, 
 what had come over Dick." 
 
 Richard continued two years longer at Tunbrook, 
 and maintained the high character he had won to 
 the last. He was a favorite with the boys, and 
 with the teachers. Colonel Brockridge pointed with 
 pride to Major Grant which was the title of our 
 hero during the last year of his residence at Tun- 
 brook as one of the brightest ornaments of his 
 school, and as one of the best fruits of his system 
 of education. 
 
 And now we must take leave of Richard Grant ; 
 and we do so with greater regret than we should 
 have done when his reputation was stained by 
 " watermelons" and " sleep-walking." 
 
 Our hero is still true to himself. As we use 
 fictitious names, our sympathi/.ing readers will not be
 
 286 THE CONQUEST OF EICHAKD GKANT. 
 
 able to recognize Colonel Richard Grant, command 
 ing a brigade in the Army of the Potomac, at the 
 present time ; but, true to his country in her hour 
 of peril, he has served with that gallant band of 
 brave men from the commencement of the war. 
 
 If my young friends would conquer others ; if 
 they would be chosen of men to reign in the hearts 
 of their fellow-beings, and thus guide the destinies 
 of men and nations ; if they would be chosen of 
 God to do his work in earth and heaven, they 
 must first conquer themselves.
 
 LEE & SHEPARD'S JUVENILE PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 TALES OF ADVENTURE. 
 
 THE FRONTIER SERIES, 
 
 Four volumes, 16mo. III. Price, per set, $5,OO. 
 
 THE CABIN ON THE PRAIRIE.- By EEV. CHARLES H; 
 PEARSON. IGmo. llustrated. $1.25. 
 
 " Ike Cabin on 1he Prairie is an earnest, healthy book, full of th< 
 hardships, trials, and triumphs of life in our new settlements." 
 
 PLANTING THE WILDERNESS; or, The Pioneer Boys. 
 By JAMES D. McCABE, JR. IGmo. Illustrated. $1.25. 
 
 " 1 'hint in y the Wilderness tolls of the strange adventures of real life, 
 Which, mure tliuu the fancies of the novel writer, are of absorbing in 
 terest." 
 
 TWELVE NIGHTS IN THE HUNTERS' CAMP. By 
 EEV. "W. BARROWS. IGmo. Illustrated. $1.25. 
 
 " Twelve Xiylits in the Hunters' 1 Camp is a pleasant, stirring 1 , sensible 
 book, full of life and incident, and all aglow with the breezy freshness 
 of woods and prairies, lakes and rivers." 
 
 A THOUSAND MILES' WALK across the Pampas and 
 Andes of South America. By NATHANIEL H. BISHOP. 
 IGmo. Illustrated. $1.50. , 
 
 "A TJiousand Miles' Walk across South America is a record of the 
 experiences of a Yankee boy, full of enthusiasm to sec and learn by actual 
 experience the wonders of that almost terra incognita." 
 
 This scries of books are of sterling merit, snd while they 
 closely follow real experiences, are full of those thrilling inci 
 dents which charm Loth youth and age. 
 
 Sold by all Booksellers and Newsdealers, and sent by mail, postpaid, 
 on receipt of price. 
 
 LEE &. SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston.
 
 REV. ELIJAH KELLOGG'S 
 
 ELM ISLAND STORIES, 
 
 Six vols. 16mo. Illustrated. Per voL, $1.25. 
 
 1. Lion Ben of Elm Island. 
 2 X Charlie Bell. 
 
 3. The Ark of Elm Island. 
 
 4. The Boy Farmers of Elm 
 
 Island. 
 
 5. The Young Shipbuilders of 
 
 Elm Island. 
 
 6. The Hardscrabble of Elm 
 
 Island. 
 
 "There is no sentimentalism in this series. 
 It is all downright matter-of-fact boy life, and 
 of course they are deeply interested in read 
 ing it. The history of pioneer life is so 
 attractive that one involuntarily wishes to 
 renew those early struggles with adverse 
 circumstances, and join the busy actors in 
 their successful efforts to build up pleasant 
 homes on our sea-girt islands." Zions 
 Herald. 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 Illustrated Natural History. G 
 
 YOUNG HUNTER'S LIBRARY. 
 
 By UBS. R. LEK. Four volume*. Illustrated. 
 Per vol., $!.>. 
 
 The Australian "Wanderers. 
 
 The Adventures of Captain Spencer and 
 his Horse and Dog in the Wilds of Aus 
 tralia. 
 
 The African Crusoes. 
 
 The Adventures ot Carlos and Antonio 
 in the Wilds of Africa. 
 
 Anecdotes of Animals, 
 
 With their Habits, Instincts, &c., &c. 
 
 Anecdotes of Birds, Fishes, Rep 
 tiles, &c., their Habits and Instincts. 
 
 This is a very popular series, prepared for 
 the purpose of interesting the young in the 
 study of natural history. The exciting ad 
 ventures of celebrated travellers, anecdotes 
 of sagacity in birds, beasts, &c,'have been 
 interwoven in a pleasant manner. This se 
 ries is not only very interesting but is deci 
 dedly profitable reading. 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 Wonderful Stories. 
 
 JUTLAND SERIES. 
 
 Four vols. Illustrated. Set In a nat box, or sold 
 eparate. Per vol., (1.50. 
 
 The Sand Hills of Jutland. 
 
 By Hans Christian Andersen. i6nm 
 Illustrated. 
 
 Yarns of an Old Mariner. 
 
 By Mrs. Mary Cowden Clarke. Illus 
 trated by Cruikshank. i6mo. 
 
 Schoolboy Days. 
 
 By W. H. G. Kingston. i6mo. Six 
 teen illustrations. 
 
 Great Men and Gallant Deeds. 
 By J. G. Edgar. i6rr.o. Illustrated. 
 
 Four books by four noted authors comprise 
 this series, which contains Adventures by Sea 
 and Land, Manly Sports of England, Boy 
 Life in English Schools, Fairy Tales and 
 Legends, all handsomely illustrated. 
 
 The Great West. 
 
 THE FRONTIER SERIES 
 
 Five vols. Illustrated. Per vol., $1.25. 
 
 Twelve Nights in the Hunters' 
 
 Camp. 
 A Thousand Miles' Walk Across 
 
 South America. 
 The Cabin on the Prairie. 
 Planting the "Wilderness. 
 The Young Pioneers. 
 
 The romance surrounding the adventurous 
 lives of Western pioneers and immigrants 
 has suggested nearly as many stories as the 
 chivalric deeds of knight-errantry. These 
 tales of frontier life are, however, as a rule, 
 characterized by such wildness of fancy and 
 such extravagancy of language that we have 
 often wondered why another Cervantes did 
 not ridicule our border romances by describ 
 ing a second Don Quixote's adventures on 
 the prairies. We are pleased to notice, that 
 in the new series of Frontier Tales, by Lee 
 & Shepard, there is an agreeable absence of 
 sensational writing, of that maudlin senti 
 mentality which make the generality of such 
 tales nauseous." Standard. 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston.
 
 ^ 
 
 MISS LOUISE M. THt 
 
 A 001412242 8 
 
 CHARLEY ROBERTS SERIES. 
 
 To be completed in six vols. Illustrated. 
 Per volume, $i. 
 
 How Charley Roberts Be- 
 oame a 3VEan. 
 
 How Eva Roberts G-airxed 
 Her ICdtication. 
 
 Charley and Eva's Home 
 in the "West. 
 
 (Others in Preparation.) 
 
 In presenting the above new series the publish 
 ers believe that they are adding to that class of 
 Juvenile literature whose intrinsic worth is recog 
 nized by those who have at heart the good of the 
 young. 
 
 "They are pleasantly written books, descriptive 
 of the straggles and difficulties of Charlev and 
 Eva in attaining to manhood and womanhood, 
 and they are well adapted to stimulate a noble 
 ambition in the hearts of young persons." 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 
 HELPING HAND SERIES. 
 
 Six volumes. Illustrated. Per volume, $i. 
 
 Climbing the Rope. 
 
 f 
 Billy GJ-rimes's Favorite. 
 
 The Cruise of the Dasha- 
 way. 
 
 The Little Spaniard. 
 Salt T^ater IDiolc. 
 Little Miaid of Oxbow. 
 
 " 'May Mannering' is the nom de plume of an 
 agreeable writer for the young folks who possesses 
 more than ordinary ability, and has a thorough 
 comprehension of the way to interest children." 
 I'liiladeljihia Item. 
 
 " We like the spirit of these books exceedingly, 
 and cordially commend it to the notice of Sabbath 
 School Libraries." Ladia' Repository. 
 
 LEE & SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. 
 
 "Uarirtj anB attracttot." 
 
 VACATION STORY-BOOKS. 
 
 Six vols. Illust. Per vol., 80 ct*. 
 
 "Worth not Wealth. 
 
 Country Life. 
 
 The Charm. 
 
 Karl Keigler. 
 
 "Walter Seyton, 
 
 Holidays at Chestnut Hill. 
 
 ROSY DIAMOND STORY-BOOKS. 
 
 Six volumes. Illustrated. Per vol., 80 cts. 
 
 The Great Rosy Diamond. 
 Daisy, or The Fairy Spectacles. 
 Violet, a Fairy Story. 
 Minnie, or The Little "Woman. 
 The Angel Children. 
 Little Blossom's Reward. 
 
 These lire delightful works for children. They 
 re all very popular, and have hail a w > 
 tion. They arc now presented in a new drrs*. 
 The stories are all amusing and instructive, ex 
 hibiting human nature in children, and teacl ing 
 
 some very important practical lessons. 
 
 " Jfagcinating anD Instrurttbt." 
 
 THE PROVERB SERIES. 
 
 BY MRS. M. E. BRADLEY AND Miss 
 KATE J. NEKLY. 
 
 Six vols. Illust Per voL, $i. 
 
 Birds of a Feather. 
 
 Fine Feathers do Not make Fine 
 Birds. 
 
 Handsome is that Handsome does. 
 
 A "Wrong Confessed is half Re 
 dressed. 
 
 Actions speak louder than "Words. 
 One Good Turn deserves another. 
 
 " Each volume is complete in Itself, and Illus 
 trates, with a story of most fascinating and in- 
 strn< ti\c ii.irrr--!. the proverb taken for Its title. 
 These are just the kind of books that we like to 
 see in a family or Sunday-school library. They 
 will be read by persons of all ages with deep 
 interest, and allord instructive and entertaining 
 conversation with the children." S. S. Journal.